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: perch · bore · board · mate · jam · foot · rush · present

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mate — a partner
  7. present — a gift
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bore — to tire
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mate — a friend
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bore — gave birth

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