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: fan · pitch · wound · cue · cold · bore · safe · bound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bound — certain
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. cue — a signal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bound — obliged
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. cold — an illness
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cold — not warm
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wound — an injury
  24. fan — a supporter

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