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: bore · club · root · craft · wake · coach · scale · wax

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. bore — to drill
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. club — a group
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. root — of a plant
  6. club — for dancing
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. root — the cause
  9. craft — boats
  10. scale — size or range
  11. club — for golf
  12. bore — to tire
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wake — a trail
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. root — of a word
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. scale — in music
  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