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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. land — a country
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lean — thin
  8. object — to protest
  9. land — to come down
  10. face — to confront
  11. lean — to bend
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. tear — from crying
  14. track — a path
  15. chip — for betting
  16. tear — from crying
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. bound — obliged
  20. chip — to eat
  21. track — a song
  22. face — part of the head
  23. track — to keep track
  24. lean — to rest against

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