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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. net — in sport
  3. bound — obliged
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. kick — in football
  12. pop — music
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bound — tied together
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bark — to shout
  17. can — a tin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — soda
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. bark — of a tree

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