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 120 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. perch — the fish
  7. charge — electricity
  8. suit — in cards
  9. charge — in control
  10. suit — to fit
  11. charge — a price
  12. land — to come down
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. land — ground
  16. object — an aim
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bound — certain
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rash — a series
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. land — a country
  23. rash — hasty
  24. suit — clothes

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