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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bound — certain
  6. prune — to trim
  7. spring — of water
  8. march — the month
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spring — the season
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. degree — from a university
  15. prune — to trim
  16. spring — a coil
  17. march — the month
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. perch — the fish
  20. degree — an amount
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. march — music
  23. bound — tied together
  24. temple — a place of worship

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