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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. clip — a video
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. clip — for paper
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. clip — to cut
  12. drill — army training
  13. root — the cause
  14. board — a committee
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. fork — in a road
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. root — of a plant
  19. rush — hurry
  20. root — of a word
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. drill — a practice

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