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: bowl · safe · bound · calf · pound · press · spell · track

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bound — certain
  3. track — to keep track
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. press — to push
  9. bound — tied together
  10. track — a path
  11. spell — letters
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. press — a publisher
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bound — obliged
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. track — a song

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