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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. snap — to click
  11. fall — the season
  12. bound — certain
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stem — to come from
  16. fall — to drop
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pound — a weight

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