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: date · chip · wave · bound · suit · mouse · wound · perch

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. suit — in cards
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. date — the fruit
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wound — an injury
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wound — an injury
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. perch — the fish

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