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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bound — tied together
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. suit — to fit
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. scale — in music
  10. bound — obliged
  11. land — a country
  12. land — to come down
  13. fine — all right
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. land — ground
  16. cell — a phone
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. suit — clothes
  22. scale — size or range
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bound — certain

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