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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bound — obliged
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pop — music
  5. row — a line
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ground — a position
  9. pop — to visit
  10. ground — the earth
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pop — soda
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. spell — magic
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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