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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bound — tied together
  7. current — electric
  8. land — a country
  9. current — of water
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. kick — in football
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. current — happening now
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. hand — in cards
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. land — to come down
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stock — goods
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. land — ground
  24. stock — shares

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