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: bound · straw · kick · safe · wound · track · key · spell

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. kick — in football
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. track — to keep track
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. key — for a lock
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bound — obliged
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. spell — a short time
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bound — tied together
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. track — a song
  18. key — in music
  19. spell — letters
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. track — a path
  22. wound — an injury
  23. spell — magic
  24. wound — an injury

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