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: leaves · wound · bound · deal · nail · cap · degree · fall

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bound — certain
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cap — of ice
  6. fall — the season
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. degree — temperature
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bound — obliged
  11. degree — an amount
  12. cap — a hat
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wound — an injury
  16. degree — from a university
  17. cap — a lid
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wound — an injury
  24. fall — to drop

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