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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bound — tied together
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stem — to come from
  5. ground — a position
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. charge — in control
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bound — certain
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — money
  18. pass — a permit
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. ground — crushed
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. ground — the earth
  24. charge — a price

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