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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bound — obliged
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — in football
  7. bound — certain
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mate — a friend
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. tear — from crying
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. mark — a grade

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