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: stem · key · wound · pound · lean · fork · bound · spring

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. bound — tied together
  5. key — in music
  6. bound — certain
  7. spring — of water
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pound — a weight
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. stem — to come from
  13. wound — an injury
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. lean — thin
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. lean — to rest against

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