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 120 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: bear · bound · chair · ball · tube · can · ground · present

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. present — the time now
  3. ball — a great time
  4. chair — a leader
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a dance
  7. tube — a container
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ground — crushed
  11. can — a tin
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. ground — the earth
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ground — a position
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. present — there
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bound — obliged
  23. present — a gift
  24. can — to be able to

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