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: stock · bound · press · temple · cell · present · spell · calf

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. spell — magic
  3. press — newspapers
  4. present — the time now
  5. stock — shares
  6. present — a gift
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. present — there
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cell — in biology
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. stock — goods
  17. cell — a phone
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. spell — letters
  20. press — to push
  21. spell — a short time
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. press — a publisher

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