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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. hand — help
  8. suit — in cards
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. shower — to wash
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pop — music
  14. shower — rain
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pop — to visit
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bound — tied together
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pop — soda
  24. hand — part of the body

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