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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bass — the fish
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bound — obliged
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. land — ground
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bound — tied together

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