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: face · land · fine · bound · object · perch · date · suit

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. land — a country
  3. face — part of the head
  4. object — an aim
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bound — tied together
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. object — a thing
  10. land — to come down
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bound — obliged
  13. perch — the fish
  14. face — to confront
  15. fine — all right
  16. face — to point toward
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bound — certain
  23. land — ground
  24. date — on the calendar

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