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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bound — obliged
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. game — wild animals
  5. saw — the tool
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bound — certain
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. saw — the tool
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bound — tied together
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — in cards
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. game — a match
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. tube — a container
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. snap — to click

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