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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. deal — to handle
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bound — certain
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mark — a grade
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. mark — a trace
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. branch — a division
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. chair — a leader
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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