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 116 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lean — thin
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mug — a face
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. lean — to rest against

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