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 120 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: mug · bound · calf · spell · firm · land · racket · sharp

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. firm — a company
  3. mug — a face
  4. land — ground
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. spell — magic
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bound — certain
  11. spell — a short time
  12. mug — to rob
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. land — a country
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bound — tied together
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. spell — letters
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. firm — decided
  21. land — to come down
  22. mug — a cup
  23. sharp — clever
  24. firm — steady

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