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 116 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: spring · kid · cue · bound · rush · pit · bark · bear

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bound — obliged
  4. spring — of water
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bound — certain
  8. spring — the season
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. kid — child
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. spring — a coil
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pit — a hole
  22. cue — a signal
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. rush — hurry

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