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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. spring — the season
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bulb — for light
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fine — all right
  12. spring — a coil
  13. net — in sport
  14. spring — of water
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bound — tied together
  20. net — after costs
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bound — obliged
  24. net — for catching

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