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: perch · wound · stick · arm · present · bound · lie · rest

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rest — what's left
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bound — tied together
  13. present — there
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. present — a gift
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lie — to recline
  22. present — the time now
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wound — an injury

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