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 116 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bound — obliged
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wound — an injury
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bound — certain
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rule — government
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. rule — a law
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bound — tied together
  20. stem — to come from
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. chair — a leader

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