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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. file — a tool
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bound — certain
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. fall — to drop
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stem — to come from
  21. snap — to click
  22. file — a document
  23. fall — the season
  24. file — a line of people

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