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: suit · bowl · wind · bound · saw · bear · pop · fine

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pop — soda
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fine — all right
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. saw — the tool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bound — certain
  16. pop — music
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fine — high quality
  22. pop — to visit
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bowl — a football final

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