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: capital · bear · lie · file · band · suit · safe · bound

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. capital — money
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bear — the animal
  6. capital — a city
  7. bound — obliged
  8. suit — in cards
  9. band — a music group
  10. file — a tool
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. file — a document
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. band — a ring
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — certain
  23. suit — clothes
  24. file — a line of people

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