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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bound — tied together
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. last — finally
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. kick — in football
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mark — a grade
  13. foot — a measure
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. last — final
  18. spring — of water
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bound — obliged
  21. last — to go on
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — a coil

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