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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. present — a gift
  6. cap — of ice
  7. season — in sport
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bound — obliged
  10. club — for golf
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. season — of the year
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bound — tied together
  16. perch — the fish
  17. present — the time now
  18. club — a group
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cap — a hat
  21. present — there
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. club — for dancing

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