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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. root — the cause
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cold — an illness
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. sharp — clever
  7. squash — to crush
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bound — certain
  10. cold — not warm
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bound — tied together
  14. root — of a word
  15. stand — to bear
  16. tube — the underground
  17. board — to get on
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. root — of a plant
  21. board — a committee
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. tube — a container
  24. squash — the sport

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