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: suit · last · bound · root · rule · deal · content · trunk

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. suit — to fit
  4. last — final
  5. suit — clothes
  6. root — of a plant
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — government
  9. bound — certain
  10. suit — in cards
  11. root — of a word
  12. content — happy
  13. last — finally
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. content — the amount
  16. last — to go on
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. deal — to handle
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. root — the cause
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rule — a law
  24. bound — obliged

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