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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bound — certain
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rush — hurry
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. perch — the fish
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bound — tied together
  16. key — the most important part
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. land — ground
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. scale — in music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. scale — size or range
  23. key — in music
  24. land — to come down

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