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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. board — a committee
  4. land — ground
  5. rock — a stone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. root — of a word
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. land — a country
  12. rock — music
  13. land — to come down
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. root — the cause
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — to drill
  21. board — to get on
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — of a plant

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