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 116 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. sharp — clever
  3. prune — to trim
  4. perch — the fish
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bound — certain
  16. cold — an illness
  17. rule — a law
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cold — not warm
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rule — government
  24. sharp — with an edge

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