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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. bound — tied together
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. hand — in cards
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bound — certain
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. content — the amount
  17. charge — in control
  18. hand — help
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bound — obliged
  21. charge — a price
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. charge — electricity
  24. safe — out of danger

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