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: fall · bark · bore · pass · shower · swing · bound · chair

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. shower — rain
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bark — to shout
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bore — to tire
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pass — a permit
  21. swing — in golf
  22. fall — the season
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. chair — a leader

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