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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bound — tied together
  5. staff — employees
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bound — certain
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. present — a gift
  10. tube — a container
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. fork — in a road
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wound — an injury
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pound — a weight
  19. present — the time now
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wound — an injury
  22. staff — employees
  23. present — there
  24. pound — to hit hard

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