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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. charge — a price
  4. rest — what's left
  5. snap — to click
  6. bound — tied together
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bound — certain
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. rest — a break
  23. charge — in control
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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