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: race · bear · bay · swing · foot · bound · stick · saw

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bound — tied together
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bound — obliged
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. foot — a measure
  10. swing — music
  11. bound — certain
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. saw — the tool
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bear — the animal
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — a contest
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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