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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — happy
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bound — certain
  13. field — a subject
  14. pass — a permit
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — of the year
  17. bound — tied together
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — for sport
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. nail — for a hammer

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