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 a fun ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. game — a match
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. game — wild animals
  5. shower — to wash
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. charge — in control
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bound — obliged
  12. shower — rain
  13. charge — a price
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bound — certain
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. charge — electricity
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. coach — a trainer
  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