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 116 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: land · stick · track · kick · bore · bound · last · bay

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. bound — tied together
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. last — finally
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bound — obliged
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. track — a path
  16. last — final
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. land — a country
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bore — to tire
  22. track — a song
  23. bound — certain
  24. last — to go on

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