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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. capital — money
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. capital — a city
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. snap — to click
  24. racket — for tennis

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