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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. cold — an illness
  4. pit — a hole
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cold — not warm
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. band — a music group
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pit — in a race
  16. staff — employees
  17. bound — obliged
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. staff — a stick
  20. band — a ring
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. staff — employees

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