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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. last — finally
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fall — to drop
  10. last — final
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — an amount
  13. fall — the season
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bound — tied together
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bound — certain
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. last — to go on
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. prune — the fruit

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