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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mate — a partner
  4. cell — in biology
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bound — obliged
  7. can — a tin
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. spell — a short time
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bound — certain
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bark — to shout
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rule — government
  19. spell — magic
  20. pitch — completely
  21. spell — letters
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rule — a law
  24. cell — a phone

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