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: bound · bear · fine · bay · file · chip · pitcher · dip

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bound — obliged
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. fine — high quality
  9. file — a document
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bound — certain
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. file — a line of people
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bear — the animal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fine — all right
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. file — a tool

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