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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bound — tied together
  4. march — the month
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pop — soda
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. march — music
  11. rock — music
  12. march — the month
  13. pop — to visit
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ground — the earth
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pop — music
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rock — a stone

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