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: sharp · key · root · field · plane · board · perch · bore

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. bore — to tire
  6. field — for sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. root — the cause
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — a subject
  12. bore — to drill
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. root — of a word
  15. key — in music
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. sharp — clever
  21. perch — the fish
  22. plane — a tool
  23. root — of a plant
  24. sharp — exactly

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