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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. last — finally
  8. net — after costs
  9. last — final
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. net — for catching
  12. lie — to recline
  13. march — the month
  14. last — to go on
  15. march — the month
  16. net — in sport
  17. bound — certain
  18. march — music
  19. bound — obliged
  20. content — happy
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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