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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. last — to go on
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. last — final
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. board — a committee
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. root — of a word
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. root — the cause
  22. fine — all right
  23. last — finally
  24. fine — high quality

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