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: kick · spell · toast · bat · tube · saw · bay · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. kick — in football
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. spell — letters
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. spell — a short time
  13. saw — the tool
  14. tube — a container
  15. toast — bread
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bound — obliged
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bat — the animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. spell — magic

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