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: bound · branch · mine · calf · rule · wind · firm · bass

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. firm — steady
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bound — obliged
  8. firm — a company
  9. wind — moving air
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rule — government
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. rule — a law
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bound — tied together
  23. branch — a division
  24. bass — low music

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