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 120 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. can — a tin
  3. bat — the animal
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. game — a match
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bound — obliged
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. suit — clothes
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bark — to shout
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. spell — magic
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bound — certain
  19. suit — in cards
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bound — tied together
  22. suit — to fit
  23. can — a tin
  24. spell — letters

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