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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. root — of a word
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. land — ground
  15. wake — a trail
  16. land — to come down
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. land — a country
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bound — certain
  24. mouse — the animal

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