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

Word bank: bowl · bound · race · bear · stick · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bound — tied together
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bound — certain
  6. race — humankind
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bear — the animal
  11. race — a contest
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. hand — help
  18. bound — obliged

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