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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pop — music
  3. present — the time now
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bound — certain
  8. can — to be able to
  9. present — there
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pop — soda
  13. present — a gift
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rest — what's left
  17. can — a tin
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rest — a break
  20. can — a tin
  21. tube — a container
  22. bound — obliged
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bound — tied together

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