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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. spring — of water
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bore — to drill
  7. firm — decided
  8. spring — a coil
  9. press — to push
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bound — obliged
  12. press — a publisher
  13. firm — steady
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bound — tied together
  19. content — happy
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bound — certain
  23. firm — a company
  24. spring — the season

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