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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. staff — a stick
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bat — the animal
  5. fork — in a road
  6. current — happening now
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bound — certain
  9. cell — in biology
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. current — electric
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. root — the cause
  15. bound — tied together
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. staff — employees
  19. current — of water
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. root — of a word
  23. cell — a phone
  24. staff — employees

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