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

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bound — certain
  3. court — of law
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. court — of a king
  12. object — to protest
  13. court — for sport
  14. object — an aim
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. object — a thing
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bound — tied together
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. saw — the tool

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