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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bound — tied together
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bound — certain
  19. rest — a break
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. hand — in cards

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