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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. spring — of water
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. staff — a stick
  7. net — after costs
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bound — certain
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. net — for catching
  12. rock — a stone
  13. net — in sport
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. staff — employees
  21. spring — the season
  22. bear — the animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. spring — a coil

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