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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. perch — the fish
  4. hand — help
  5. face — to point toward
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bound — tied together
  11. mark — a grade
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bound — obliged
  14. face — to confront
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rest — what's left
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. plane — a tool
  19. hand — in cards
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. mark — a trace
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. leaves — of a tree

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