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: bark · jam · object · tube · safe · saw · bound · court

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. object — a thing
  3. bark — to shout
  4. court — of a king
  5. bound — certain
  6. tube — a container
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. saw — the tool
  9. tube — the underground
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. court — for sport
  13. object — to protest
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bound — obliged
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. saw — the tool
  23. court — of law
  24. object — an aim

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