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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. field — farmland
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mark — a grade
  9. key — for a lock
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mark — a trace
  12. field — a subject
  13. tube — the underground
  14. field — for sport
  15. tube — a container
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bound — certain
  21. rush — hurry
  22. key — in music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rush — a thrill

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