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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bound — certain
  3. present — there
  4. bound — tied together
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. net — for catching
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. chest — of your body
  10. firm — steady
  11. chest — a box
  12. mine — for digging
  13. present — a gift
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. present — the time now
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. net — in sport
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. net — after costs
  20. chest — of your body
  21. firm — a company
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bound — obliged
  24. firm — decided

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