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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bore — to tire
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. march — the month
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bore — to drill
  14. swing — to play on
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. march — the month
  19. swing — music
  20. hand — help
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mate — to breed
  24. march — 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