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 116 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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. board — a committee
  4. field — for sport
  5. bank — of a river
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. bore — to drill
  9. board — to get on
  10. field — a subject
  11. bound — certain
  12. bore — to tire
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bank — for money
  18. bound — tied together
  19. field — farmland
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bound — obliged
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bat — the animal

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