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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. rash — hasty
  3. current — happening now
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. cue — a signal
  7. scale — in music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bound — certain
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. current — electric
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rash — a series
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. scale — size or range
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cue — for pool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. current — of water
  24. coach — a trainer

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