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 124 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. scale — in music
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. court — for sport
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. suit — clothes
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — of law
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bound — certain
  24. straw — a straw man

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