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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. key — the most important part
  3. firm — steady
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. fall — to drop
  6. craft — a skill
  7. key — in music
  8. club — for dancing
  9. firm — a company
  10. bound — certain
  11. kid — to tease
  12. fall — the season
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bound — tied together
  15. firm — decided
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for golf
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fall — to drop
  20. craft — boats
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — for a lock
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. kid — child

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