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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a music group
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. shower — rain
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. field — farmland
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bound — obliged
  14. field — for sport
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. field — a subject
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stem — to come from
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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