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 116 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. fine — all right
  5. wound — an injury
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lie — to recline
  11. spell — letters
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. spell — a short time
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — to tease
  21. dip — to sink
  22. spell — magic
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fine — high quality

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