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: cabinet · pop · bound · leaves · rest · straw · racket · pitcher

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pop — soda
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pop — music
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bound — tied together
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bound — certain
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rest — a break
  24. pitcher — a jug

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