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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bound — tied together
  3. band — a ring
  4. sharp — clever
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. scale — size or range
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bound — obliged
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. track — a song
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. scale — in music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. band — a music group
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bound — certain
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. sharp — exactly

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