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

Word bank: game · hide · capital · bore · bound · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. capital — a city
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bore — to tire
  9. firm — decided
  10. capital — money
  11. bound — obliged
  12. game — wild animals
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. firm — a company
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. game — a match

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