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: wake · row · wave · bore · jam · foot · root · board

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — a line
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bore — to drill
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. board — a committee
  15. foot — a measure
  16. root — of a word
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. root — the cause
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wake — a trail
  23. row — to paddle
  24. foot — part of the body

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