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: bowl · temple · stick · bound · kick · wind · arm · content

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. content — happy
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bound — certain
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wind — moving air
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bound — obliged
  18. kick — in football
  19. wind — moving air
  20. content — the amount
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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