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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. net — for catching
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bound — obliged
  5. net — after costs
  6. ground — crushed
  7. suit — in cards
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ground — a position
  12. lean — thin
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. squash — the sport
  18. game — wild animals
  19. net — in sport
  20. ground — the earth
  21. game — a match
  22. bound — tied together
  23. squash — to crush
  24. game — a kind of play

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