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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bass — low music
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. march — the month
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. hand — in cards
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. march — the month
  18. bound — obliged
  19. sharp — clever
  20. march — music
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. hand — help
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bass — the fish

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