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: pass · kid · club · board · row · prune · bore · stick

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. row — a line
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. kid — child
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. board — to get on
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bore — to drill
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pass — a permit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. board — a committee
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. row — to paddle
  24. pass — to spend time

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