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 partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. spell — letters
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bound — obliged
  6. present — the time now
  7. firm — steady
  8. rule — government
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. spell — magic
  11. wax — to grow
  12. present — a gift
  13. bound — certain
  14. fine — all right
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. firm — decided
  17. spell — a short time
  18. firm — a company
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bound — tied together
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rule — a law
  24. kick — in football

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