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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · bear · object · rule · bound · roll · stick · patient

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. object — a thing
  8. saw — the tool
  9. object — an aim
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. roll — a list
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rule — government
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. saw — the tool
  20. object — to protest
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bound — certain
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rule — a law

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