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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wake — a trail
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. kid — child
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bore — to drill
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rest — a break
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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