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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. present — there
  4. bark — to shout
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rest — what's left
  10. present — a gift
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rock — music
  14. present — the time now
  15. rest — a break
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bank — for money
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bound — obliged
  21. kick — in football
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bank — for money

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