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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. swing — music
  3. row — to paddle
  4. swing — in golf
  5. hand — in cards
  6. row — a line
  7. swing — to play on
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. key — in music
  10. cell — a phone
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. hand — help
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — certain
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. key — the most important part
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rush — hurry
  24. cell — in biology

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