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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. object — a thing
  7. bound — certain
  8. face — to point toward
  9. object — to protest
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. object — an aim
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mate — a friend
  15. face — to confront
  16. mate — to breed
  17. track — a song
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bore — to drill
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mate — a partner

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