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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bound — certain
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bound — obliged

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