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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · bound · bore · charge · bark · stand · season · field

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. charge — electricity
  9. field — for sport
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. field — farmland
  12. bore — to tire
  13. charge — in control
  14. bound — certain
  15. stand — to bear
  16. season — in sport
  17. bound — tied together
  18. charge — a price
  19. season — of the year
  20. field — a subject
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bound — obliged

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