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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. clip — to cut
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bound — obliged
  6. scale — in music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. clip — for paper
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bound — tied together
  15. chest — a box
  16. bound — certain
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. clip — a video
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. face — to confront
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. face — part of the head

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