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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bound — certain
  3. track — to keep track
  4. face — to confront
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. face — to point toward
  9. perch — the fish
  10. track — a song
  11. suit — in cards
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bound — tied together
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. track — a path
  19. deal — to handle
  20. face — part of the head
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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