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: present · bound · bay · wax · wound · mouse · object · bank

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. object — to protest
  3. present — there
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bound — certain
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bound — tied together
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bank — for money
  16. object — a thing
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. object — an aim
  20. wax — to grow
  21. present — the time now
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. present — a gift

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