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: coach · club · bark · saw · jam · suit · pound · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bound — tied together
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. suit — clothes
  7. club — for golf
  8. bound — obliged
  9. suit — in cards
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bark — to shout
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. suit — to fit
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. saw — the tool
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. club — a group
  24. coach — a trainer

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