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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ground — the earth
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bound — tied together
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ground — a position
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wound — an injury
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fall — to drop
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fall — the season
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wound — an injury

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