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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. suit — to fit
  5. perch — the fish
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. content — the amount
  9. bound — tied together
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wax — to grow
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. suit — in cards
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. rule — government
  24. branch — a division

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