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: bore · suit · temple · root · chest · jam · coach · saw

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. chest — a box
  4. saw — the tool
  5. chest — of your body
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. root — of a word
  8. bore — to tire
  9. root — of a plant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. root — the cause
  14. suit — to fit
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. suit — clothes
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — to drill
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — in cards
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. chest — of your body

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