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 ________________ to happen.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. cue — for pool
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bound — obliged
  9. band — a music group
  10. prune — to trim
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bore — to tire
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bound — tied together
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. band — a ring
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. prune — to trim

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