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 120 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. firm — a company
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bound — certain
  8. drill — army training
  9. land — to come down
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bound — tied together
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. land — a country
  15. firm — decided
  16. charge — a price
  17. lie — to recline
  18. charge — in control
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. drill — a practice
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bound — obliged
  24. firm — steady

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