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: bound · racket · bark · suit · rest · tear · chest · nail

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rest — a break
  6. tear — from crying
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tear — from crying
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. chest — of your body
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bound — obliged
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. rest — what's left
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bound — tied together
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bark — to shout
  24. racket — for tennis

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