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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. lean — to bend
  3. capital — a city
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lean — thin
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. sharp — clever
  10. cue — a hint
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. march — the month
  13. capital — money
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bound — obliged
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bound — certain
  23. mark — a grade
  24. sharp — exactly

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