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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. game — a match
  6. firm — decided
  7. object — a thing
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — a company
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. firm — steady
  14. bound — certain
  15. capital — money
  16. wind — moving air
  17. object — an aim
  18. capital — a city
  19. game — wild animals
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bear — the animal
  23. object — to protest
  24. pass — a permit

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