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 · suit · net · file · lie · board · cabinet · bark

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bound — tied together
  7. board — to get on
  8. file — a tool
  9. bark — to shout
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bound — certain
  14. net — in sport
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. net — after costs
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. board — a committee
  20. net — for catching
  21. lie — to recline
  22. file — a document
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bark — of a tree

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