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: perch · chair · game · wax · bore · kick · content · board

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. perch — the fish
  3. chair — a leader
  4. content — the amount
  5. kick — in football
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. wax — to grow
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bore — to drill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. board — to get on
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. content — happy
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. board — a committee

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