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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bound — obliged
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. board — to get on
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. board — a committee
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. sharp — clever
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. swing — music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bound — certain

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