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: wind · bear · mine · bound · can · lean · net · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bear — the animal
  7. net — after costs
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. can — a tin
  10. wind — moving air
  11. mine — for digging
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bound — certain
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. lean — thin
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. net — for catching
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. net — in sport
  21. wind — moving air
  22. lie — to recline
  23. can — a tin
  24. lean — to bend

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