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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · coach · ruler · bound · net · wake

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. present — the time now
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. present — there
  9. net — for catching
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. present — a gift
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. coach — a trainer

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