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: wax · plane · bore · racket · pitcher · field · board · suit

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. board — to get on
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. field — for sport
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. board — a committee
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bore — to tire
  20. field — a subject
  21. plane — a tool
  22. field — farmland
  23. bore — to drill
  24. suit — in cards

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