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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. game — wild animals
  3. cell — a phone
  4. game — a match
  5. land — to come down
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bound — obliged
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. land — ground
  14. snap — to click
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. suit — to fit
  17. date — the fruit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bound — certain
  21. land — a country
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bound — tied together
  24. suit — in cards

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