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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. shower — rain
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. mark — a grade
  14. shower — to wash
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. root — the cause
  18. stand — to bear
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. root — of a word
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. foot — a measure
  24. root — of a plant

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