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 120 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 · pass · cap · sharp · march · perch · rule · nail

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. march — the month
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — a law
  10. sharp — clever
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bound — obliged
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pass — a permit
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. march — music
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. march — the month

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