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 120 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — low music
  7. ball — a dance
  8. key — in music
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rest — a break
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bound — obliged
  15. current — electric
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ball — a great time
  18. key — for a lock
  19. current — of water
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bound — tied together
  22. cell — a phone
  23. current — happening now
  24. rest — what's left

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