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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bass — low music
  3. date — the fruit
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bound — certain
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bound — tied together
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. saw — the tool
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cell — a phone
  23. rush — hurry
  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