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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bound — tied together
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bound — certain
  15. game — a match
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bound — obliged
  18. game — wild animals
  19. charge — in control
  20. can — a tin
  21. charge — a price
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. can — a tin
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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