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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bound — certain
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. swing — music
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mark — a trace
  8. kid — child
  9. swing — in golf
  10. shower — rain
  11. kid — to tease
  12. shower — to wash
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. swing — to play on
  15. mark — a grade
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bound — obliged
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mark — to pay attention

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