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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bark — to shout
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bound — certain
  24. patient — a sick person

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