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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spring — the season
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. bound — certain
  12. mate — a friend
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. spring — of water
  17. pound — a weight
  18. ground — crushed
  19. spring — a coil
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — the earth
  23. mate — a partner
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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