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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. hand — help
  7. band — a ring
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. degree — an amount
  13. pound — a weight
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. degree — from a university
  19. band — a music group
  20. bear — the animal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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