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: cabinet · board · fork · pitch · kick · row · chair · root

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fork — in a road
  3. kick — in football
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. board — to get on
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pitch — completely
  16. row — a line
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. root — the cause
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. root — of a word
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. board — a committee
  23. row — to paddle
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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