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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. band — a music group
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. present — there
  6. key — the most important part
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. present — the time now
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. key — in music
  13. bound — tied together
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. key — for a lock
  16. present — a gift
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bass — low music
  22. bound — obliged
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. band — a ring

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