ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bore — to tire
  4. rock — a stone
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. deal — to handle
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mate — to breed
  10. wax — to grow
  11. branch — a division
  12. kid — child
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. board — to get on
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bore — to drill
  18. kid — to tease
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. mate — a friend
  24. rock — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com