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: cabinet · bound · stick · wound · suit · pound · perch · stem

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bound — certain
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bound — tied together
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wound — an injury
  23. suit — to fit
  24. perch — the fish

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