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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bound — obliged
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bound — tied together
  8. face — to confront
  9. branch — a division
  10. face — to point toward
  11. lean — to bend
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pop — music
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pop — soda
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pop — to visit
  23. face — part of the head
  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