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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bank — for money
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bound — tied together
  14. game — a match
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bank — for money
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. spell — magic
  21. kick — in football
  22. bank — of a river
  23. spell — letters
  24. game — wild animals

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