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 · last · mug · net · firm · degree · wave · pound

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. degree — an amount
  6. net — after costs
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pound — a weight
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bound — certain
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mug — a face
  13. degree — temperature
  14. last — final
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mug — a cup
  17. firm — steady
  18. last — finally
  19. net — for catching
  20. mug — to rob
  21. last — to go on
  22. firm — a company
  23. net — in sport
  24. pound — for dogs

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