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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. scale — size or range
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bound — certain
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cap — a hat
  20. hand — help
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. scale — in music

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