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: hide · saw · lie · key · swing · bound · bank · trunk

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. key — in music
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bound — tied together
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bound — certain
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. key — for a lock
  21. swing — music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bound — obliged
  24. hide — to keep secret

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