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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. prune — to trim
  8. deal — to handle
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bound — tied together
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bound — certain
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. prune — to trim
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. ball — a dance
  21. scale — size or range
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. scale — in music
  24. kick — in football

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