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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bound — certain
  4. rash — hasty
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fine — all right
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fine — high quality
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rash — a series
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. clip — for paper
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. clip — a video
  21. plane — a tool
  22. clip — to cut
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bound — obliged

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