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: board · chip · bore · cold · stand · field · racket · saw

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. saw — the tool
  4. board — a committee
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. field — a subject
  8. board — to get on
  9. bore — to tire
  10. field — for sport
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cold — not warm
  17. stand — to bear
  18. field — farmland
  19. cold — an illness
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. racket — a loud noise

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