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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bound — obliged
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. spring — the season
  6. kid — child
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spring — of water
  11. prune — to trim
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bound — tied together
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. spring — a coil
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — the animal

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