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 116 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bank — for money
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wind — moving air
  5. craft — boats
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bank — of a river
  10. suit — in cards
  11. face — to confront
  12. suit — to fit
  13. tear — from crying
  14. charge — a price
  15. bank — for money
  16. tear — to rip
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bound — obliged
  19. face — to point toward
  20. tear — from crying
  21. charge — in control
  22. craft — a skill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bound — certain

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