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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. degree — temperature
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. suit — clothes
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bound — certain
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — from a university

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