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: bound · tear · dip · root · stick · mate · calf · perch

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bound — certain
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. tear — to rip
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. tear — from crying
  15. root — of a word
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bound — obliged
  19. root — of a plant
  20. mate — a friend
  21. root — the cause
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bound — tied together

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