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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bound — tied together
  4. season — of the year
  5. bound — certain
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fall — to drop
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mug — a face
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. chest — of your body
  19. mug — to rob
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. season — in sport
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fall — the season
  24. chest — a box

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