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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. saw — the tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. land — a country
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. land — to come down
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. land — ground
  14. bound — tied together
  15. saw — the tool
  16. current — electric
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. current — happening now
  20. can — to be able to
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. current — of water
  23. bound — obliged
  24. can — a tin

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