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 · bear · bound · coach · spell · stand · bank · bat

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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. bat — the animal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. spell — letters
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bank — of a river
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bound — certain
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bank — for money
  21. stand — to bear
  22. spell — magic
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bowl — a dish

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