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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. spell — letters
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bound — certain
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. spell — magic
  22. lean — thin
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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