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: game · spring · object · charge · ruler · arm · board · bound

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bound — obliged
  3. spring — a coil
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. object — to protest
  10. spring — of water
  11. object — a thing
  12. charge — a price
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spring — the season
  16. charge — electricity
  17. game — a match
  18. game — wild animals
  19. board — a committee
  20. object — an aim
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — to get on

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