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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. fine — all right
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. firm — decided
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — farmland
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. firm — a company
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. firm — steady
  20. content — the amount
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. squash — the sport
  23. content — happy
  24. patient — a sick person

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