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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. object — a thing
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. object — to protest
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bass — the fish
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bound — certain
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bass — low music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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