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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. spring — the season
  4. saw — the tool
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. staff — employees
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bound — tied together
  17. staff — a stick
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bass — low music
  20. staff — employees
  21. spring — of water
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bound — certain
  24. spring — a coil

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