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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bound — obliged
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. mate — a friend
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bound — tied together
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lean — thin
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mate — to breed
  17. lean — to bend
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rule — a law
  20. race — a contest
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rule — government

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