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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — a group
  4. bound — tied together
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bark — to shout
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bound — certain
  21. roll — a list
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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