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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. field — farmland
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bound — tied together
  6. kick — in football
  7. object — an aim
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. key — in music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. object — to protest
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. field — a subject
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. object — a thing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wax — to grow
  23. field — for sport
  24. key — the most important part

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