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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bound — certain
  3. scale — in music
  4. fall — to drop
  5. object — a thing
  6. drill — the tool
  7. object — to protest
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. object — an aim
  11. drill — army training
  12. fall — to drop
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bound — tied together
  18. drill — a practice
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. kick — in football

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