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: bound · vault · sharp · date · rush · bay · perch · can

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. date — the fruit
  14. perch — the fish
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bound — tied together
  17. sharp — clever
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rush — hurry
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. can — a tin
  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