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: trunk · straw · bound · pass · chair · coach · fall · calf

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. fall — to drop
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. pass — a permit
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bound — certain
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fall — the season

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