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: bear · rule · key · calf · season · pop · bound · firm

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pop — to visit
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rule — government
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. key — in music
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. season — of the year
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. firm — decided
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rule — a law
  20. pop — soda
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pop — music

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