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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pitch — completely
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bound — certain
  7. bore — to drill
  8. saw — the tool
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — to protest
  11. bound — tied together
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — for sport
  24. object — a thing

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