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 120 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 · pitcher · bound · wave · temple · leaves · sharp · hand

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. present — there
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bound — tied together
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. present — the time now
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. hand — in cards
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. present — a gift
  19. hand — help
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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