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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bound — obliged
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cold — not warm
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bound — certain
  12. tube — a container
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stand — to bear
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. cabinet — ministers

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