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: saw · bound · bore · ground · mine · swing · can · spring

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. can — a tin
  3. spring — a coil
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bound — obliged
  6. can — a tin
  7. bound — certain
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bound — tied together
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. mine — for digging
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bore — to tire
  19. swing — in golf
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — of water
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — music

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