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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. firm — a company
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. firm — decided
  8. charge — a price
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. swing — to play on
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. foot — a measure
  14. perch — the fish
  15. swing — in golf
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. firm — steady
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bound — tied together
  20. swing — music
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wind — moving air

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