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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. track — to keep track
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bound — certain
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bound — obliged
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spell — a short time
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rock — music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. swing — music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. track — a path
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. swing — in golf
  19. spell — magic
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. track — a song
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. spell — letters
  24. rock — a stone

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