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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. track — a path
  3. spell — letters
  4. bound — certain
  5. tear — to rip
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fall — to drop
  9. tear — from crying
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bound — tied together
  12. track — a song
  13. present — there
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. present — the time now
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fall — the season
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. spell — magic
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. tear — from crying
  24. track — to keep track

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