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: fork · lie · last · suit · present · cold · bound · current

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fork — in a road
  3. suit — clothes
  4. last — finally
  5. present — there
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. present — the time now
  10. current — of water
  11. current — happening now
  12. cold — not warm
  13. last — to go on
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bound — obliged
  16. lie — to recline
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. current — electric
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bound — tied together
  22. present — a gift
  23. cold — an illness
  24. last — final

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