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 · mug · board · content · pound · cap · pop · net

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. cap — a lid
  4. board — to get on
  5. net — for catching
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bound — obliged
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pound — a weight
  11. content — the amount
  12. mug — a cup
  13. content — happy
  14. net — in sport
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pop — music
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pop — soda
  19. mug — a face
  20. pop — to visit
  21. net — after costs
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. board — a committee
  24. cap — of ice

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