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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bound — certain
  3. cell — in biology
  4. mug — a cup
  5. craft — boats
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. net — after costs
  8. cell — a phone
  9. toast — bread
  10. mug — a face
  11. bound — obliged
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bore — to tire
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. net — for catching
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mug — to rob

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