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 116 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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bound — obliged
  7. snap — to click
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bound — certain
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. firm — steady
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. wind — moving air
  16. firm — decided
  17. bound — tied together
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. wind — moving air
  20. firm — a company
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. calf — a young animal

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