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: cold · chair · root · coach · suit · bore · hide · calf

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cold — not warm
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. suit — clothes
  11. root — the cause
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cold — an illness
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. chair — a leader
  24. coach — a trainer

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