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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. swing — in golf
  4. current — happening now
  5. object — a thing
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. can — a tin
  9. current — electric
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. can — to be able to
  12. file — a line of people
  13. object — an aim
  14. swing — to play on
  15. current — of water
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. swing — music
  19. object — to protest
  20. can — a tin
  21. file — a tool
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. file — a document

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