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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. staff — employees
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. staff — employees
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bulb — for light
  13. staff — a stick
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. saw — the tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. saw — the tool
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bound — tied together
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bulb — for light

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