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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mate — a partner
  5. squash — the sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. bound — obliged
  8. lean — to bend
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. tube — the underground
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bound — certain
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. bear — the animal
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mate — to breed
  22. tube — a container
  23. can — a tin
  24. lean — thin

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