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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bound — certain
  5. present — there
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — a grade
  8. present — the time now
  9. chip — to eat
  10. lie — to recline
  11. net — in sport
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. net — for catching
  16. band — a ring
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. band — a music group
  20. net — after costs
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. band — a rubber band

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