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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. saw — the tool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of law
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ground — a position
  11. court — of a king
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bound — obliged
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bound — tied together
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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