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: jam · saw · board · leaves · bound · club · pit · kid

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bound — tied together
  3. club — a group
  4. pit — in a race
  5. kid — to tease
  6. saw — the tool
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bound — certain
  13. board — a committee
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pit — a hole
  16. board — to get on
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. kid — child
  22. saw — the tool
  23. club — for dancing
  24. leaves — to go away

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