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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. season — in sport
  3. drill — a practice
  4. season — of the year
  5. content — the amount
  6. band — a music group
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. content — happy
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. drill — army training
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. cue — a signal
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. cue — a hint
  19. band — a ring
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. season — to add flavour

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