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: lean · calf · patient · bear · swing · spring · ruler · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. spring — the season
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. lean — to bend
  5. spring — a coil
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bear — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lean — thin
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. spring — of water
  21. bear — the animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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