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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. drill — a practice
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. branch — a division
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bound — tied together
  17. drill — the tool
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. deal — to handle
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. drill — army training
  23. arm — part of the body
  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