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 · trunk · spring · chip · lean · net · mug · racket

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. spring — the season
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. net — in sport
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mug — a cup
  8. net — for catching
  9. bound — certain
  10. lean — to bend
  11. chip — for betting
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bound — obliged
  14. spring — a coil
  15. lean — thin
  16. spring — of water
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. chip — to eat

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