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 112 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: rock · coach · mark · board · mine · bound · last · bear

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bear — the animal
  9. last — to go on
  10. rock — music
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rock — a stone
  15. board — to get on
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. last — final
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. last — finally
  24. bound — certain

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