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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. club — for golf
  6. fine — high quality
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. club — a group
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pound — a weight
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. ball — a dance
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bound — tied together

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