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: cabinet · content · band · pass · field · snap · bay · bound

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. field — for sport
  5. content — happy
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. field — a subject
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. snap — to click
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. band — a music group
  15. field — farmland
  16. pass — a permit
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bound — certain
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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