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: court · pass · tear · can · row · race · bowl · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. court — of law
  3. race — the arms race
  4. can — a tin
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. court — for sport
  8. race — a contest
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bound — certain
  11. can — a tin
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. can — to be able to
  15. row — a line
  16. race — humankind
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. court — of a king
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — to rip
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bound — tied together

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