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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. kick — in football
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — thin
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bear — the animal
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bound — obliged
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kick — 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