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 116 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: wave · bound · squash · bear · pit · trunk · mark · stick

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — certain
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. squash — the sport
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pit — a hole
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pit — in a race
  24. squash — the vegetable

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