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: ground · bank · bay · degree · perch · kick · bound · board

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. ground — crushed
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bound — certain
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bank — for money
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — an amount
  12. ground — a position
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bound — obliged
  16. kick — in football
  17. ground — the earth
  18. degree — from a university
  19. board — to get on
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bank — for money
  22. bound — tied together
  23. board — a committee
  24. perch — the fish

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