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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ground — a position
  4. fine — all right
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — to tease
  7. ground — the earth
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fine — high quality
  10. kid — child
  11. race — the arms race
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bound — certain
  17. craft — boats
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. race — humankind
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. race — a contest

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