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: bore · branch · rock · chair · hand · current · mate · pound

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. chair — a leader
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mate — a friend
  6. hand — help
  7. bore — to tire
  8. current — of water
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. branch — a division
  12. hand — in cards
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mate — to breed
  15. rock — music
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pound — a weight
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. current — electric
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. current — happening now
  23. bore — to drill
  24. chair — a professorship

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