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 · hide · bound · chip · clip · ruler · bear · tube

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bound — obliged
  7. tube — a container
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. clip — to cut
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. clip — for paper
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bear — the animal
  23. clip — a video
  24. bound — tied together

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