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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. firm — a company
  5. drill — army training
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mine — for digging
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bound — certain
  10. firm — decided
  11. track — a song
  12. sharp — clever
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. suit — to fit
  16. firm — steady
  17. drill — a practice
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bound — obliged
  23. lie — to recline
  24. sharp — exactly

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