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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. land — ground
  8. bound — tied together
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bound — certain
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. land — to come down
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. foot — a measure
  18. land — a country
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. season — of the year
  23. dip — to sink
  24. foot — part of the body

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