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 124 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. firm — decided
  3. spell — magic
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bound — tied together
  6. net — for catching
  7. land — a country
  8. land — ground
  9. firm — a company
  10. spell — letters
  11. firm — steady
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rock — music
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bound — obliged
  18. net — after costs
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. land — to come down
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. net — in sport
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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