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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. can — a tin
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. land — a country
  5. board — to get on
  6. can — a tin
  7. board — a committee
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. land — ground
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. land — to come down
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pound — a weight

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