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 116 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: lash · root · bass · hide · board · safe · bore · bat

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bass — the fish
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. board — a committee
  16. bore — to drill
  17. root — the cause
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. board — to get on
  20. root — of a word
  21. bass — low music
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bat — the animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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