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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. file — a line of people
  4. drill — the tool
  5. hand — help
  6. foot — a measure
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bound — obliged
  9. drill — a practice
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bound — certain
  12. drill — army training
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. file — a document
  16. squash — to crush
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. file — a tool
  24. foot — the bottom

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