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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. spring — the season
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — of the year
  10. bound — certain
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. spring — a coil
  13. ball — a great time
  14. board — to get on
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. season — in sport
  17. board — a committee
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. spring — of water
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bound — tied together

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