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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bound — certain
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bound — tied together

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