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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cue — a hint
  3. swing — music
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bound — tied together
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. track — a song
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bark — to shout
  19. mark — a grade
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. swing — to play on
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pitch — completely

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