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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bound — obliged
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bound — tied together
  8. kid — child
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. season — in sport
  12. mine — for digging
  13. tube — a container
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bound — certain
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bear — the animal
  22. kid — to tease
  23. season — of the year
  24. bear — to put up with

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