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: kid · toast · bore · bear · coach · club · scale · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. board — to get on
  7. club — for golf
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kid — to tease
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. club — a group
  14. bore — to tire
  15. kid — child
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. toast — bread
  19. bear — the animal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bore — to drill

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