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: pass · squash · hand · cabinet · bound · rest · perch · season

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. season — of the year
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rest — a break
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bound — obliged
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bound — certain
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. hand — in cards
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. hand — help
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pass — a permit

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