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: mug · lean · rest · charge · race · perch · track · bound

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. race — humankind
  3. charge — a price
  4. mug — a face
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bound — obliged
  8. lean — thin
  9. charge — electricity
  10. rest — what's left
  11. race — the arms race
  12. track — a path
  13. charge — in control
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rest — a break
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. track — a song
  18. rest — what's left
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. race — a contest

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