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: cabinet · bark · pitcher · safe · object · land · stand · dip

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. object — to protest
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. land — ground
  7. object — an aim
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bark — to shout
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — a country
  19. stand — to bear
  20. object — a thing
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. dip — to sink

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