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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. spell — a short time
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bound — obliged
  7. spell — magic
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bound — tied together
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. ground — the earth
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ground — a position
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. spell — letters
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — to shout
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. firm — steady
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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