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 120 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. board — a committee
  4. cell — in biology
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bound — certain
  8. ground — the earth
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — temperature
  13. cell — a phone
  14. board — to get on
  15. spring — the season
  16. pop — to visit
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. pop — music
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pop — soda
  23. degree — from a university
  24. ground — a position

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