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: arm · root · bore · coach · straw · object · board · degree

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. degree — temperature
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. root — of a word
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bore — to tire
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. degree — from a university
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. board — a committee
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. degree — an amount
  19. board — to get on
  20. object — to protest
  21. root — the cause
  22. object — a thing
  23. bore — to drill
  24. object — an aim

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