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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. present — there
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. present — the time now
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bound — certain
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bound — tied together
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. present — a gift
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pitch — completely
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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