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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mug — a face
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mug — to rob
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pass — a permit
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. cold — an illness
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mug — a cup
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. hand — help
  18. bound — certain
  19. roll — a list
  20. cold — not warm
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — a phone
  24. hand — 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