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: ball · jam · pop · object · bound · ruler · present · patient

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pop — to visit
  4. present — a gift
  5. bound — tied together
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pop — soda
  9. present — there
  10. bound — obliged
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. present — the time now
  14. object — a thing
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bound — certain
  19. object — an aim
  20. ball — a dance
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pop — music

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