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: fine · kick · wake · mate · bound · can · board · wound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bound — certain
  7. fine — high quality
  8. can — a tin
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fine — all right
  11. wound — an injury
  12. board — to get on
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bound — tied together
  21. kick — in football
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. board — a committee

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