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 all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fine — all right
  3. bound — obliged
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bound — certain
  6. track — a path
  7. bound — tied together
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fall — the season
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. fall — to drop
  20. track — a song
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. calf — of the leg

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