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: perch · chest · bound · mark · rule · spring · calf · safe

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — of your body
  5. spring — a coil
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bound — obliged
  9. spring — of water
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mark — a trace
  13. perch — the fish
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spring — the season
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bound — certain
  21. rule — government
  22. chest — a box
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — a law

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