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 116 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. snap — to click
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mine — for digging
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bound — certain
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bear — the animal

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