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 120 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: mate · charge · wake · perch · bore · field · branch · root

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. root — the cause
  3. charge — in control
  4. field — a subject
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mate — a partner
  7. perch — the fish
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. root — of a word
  10. branch — a division
  11. charge — a price
  12. field — for sport
  13. bore — to tire
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mate — to breed
  16. root — of a plant
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — to drill
  21. field — farmland
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wake — a trail

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