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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bore — to tire
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bound — certain
  12. face — part of the head
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bound — tied together
  16. face — to confront
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. stem — to come from

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