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

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. suit — in cards
  3. firm — a company
  4. bound — certain
  5. wound — an injury
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. lean — thin
  12. spell — magic
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bound — obliged
  16. firm — steady
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cue — a signal
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bound — tied together
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cue — a hint
  23. firm — decided
  24. lean — to bend

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