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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. band — a ring
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bound — tied together
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. tube — a container
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bound — certain
  18. pit — a hole
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pit — in a race
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bound — obliged

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