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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. file — a tool
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. club — a group
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bark — to shout
  12. file — a line of people
  13. club — for dancing
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. club — for golf
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. file — a document
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bound — tied together
  24. calf — a young animal

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