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: nail · bound · clip · stick · racket · kid · jam · bear

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. kid — to tease
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. clip — to cut
  10. bound — tied together
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bound — obliged
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. kid — child
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bear — the animal
  20. clip — for paper
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bear — the animal
  24. clip — a video

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