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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. board — a committee
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. march — music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bat — the animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. root — of a plant
  13. rest — a break
  14. march — the month
  15. board — to get on
  16. march — the month
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. mark — a trace
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. safe — out of danger

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