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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. content — happy
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pitch — completely
  9. content — the amount
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. spring — a coil
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. spring — the season
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bound — certain
  22. spring — of water
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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