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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. race — humankind
  5. bound — obliged
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bound — tied together
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. race — a contest
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. squash — to crush
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. race — the arms race
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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