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 · deal · net · content · tube · game · bank

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. saw — the tool
  3. game — wild animals
  4. tube — the underground
  5. net — in sport
  6. bank — for money
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. tube — a container
  9. content — happy
  10. deal — to handle
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bank — of a river
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. content — the amount
  16. net — after costs
  17. game — a match
  18. net — for catching
  19. bound — certain
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bound — tied together
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bank — for money

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