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: present · bound · bank · land · tube · foot · cap · game

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bound — certain
  4. present — there
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. tube — the underground
  7. game — a match
  8. cap — of ice
  9. land — a country
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bank — of a river
  12. present — the time now
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. land — to come down
  15. game — wild animals
  16. cap — a hat
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bound — tied together
  19. tube — a container
  20. bank — for money
  21. land — ground
  22. present — a gift
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bank — for money

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