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: fine · bound · cabinet · charge · hand · march · fan · tear

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. march — music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. tear — from crying
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. hand — help
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. tear — from crying
  10. charge — in control
  11. fine — all right
  12. bound — obliged
  13. march — the month
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bound — tied together
  19. fine — high quality
  20. march — the month
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. hand — in cards
  23. charge — a price
  24. tear — to rip

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