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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. race — humankind
  5. bound — tied together
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. perch — the fish
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. object — an aim
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. object — to protest
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pass — a permit
  20. kick — in football
  21. object — a thing
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pound — a weight
  24. race — a contest

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