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: present · row · rule · fine · saw · march · bound · pound

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bound — obliged
  4. fine — all right
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. present — a gift
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rule — government
  9. bound — certain
  10. present — there
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rule — a law
  15. march — music
  16. present — the time now
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fine — high quality
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bound — tied together
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pound — for dogs

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