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: suit · wake · charge · vault · kid · dip · bound · cue

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. charge — in control
  3. bound — certain
  4. charge — a price
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bound — tied together
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kid — child
  10. wake — a trail
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cue — for pool
  15. kid — to tease
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. vault — a safe
  21. charge — electricity
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cue — a hint
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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