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 · date · cabinet · chair · firm · rest · race · safe

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. firm — steady
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. race — the arms race
  5. firm — a company
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. firm — decided
  8. bound — certain
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bound — obliged
  15. race — a contest
  16. rest — a break
  17. chair — a leader
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rest — what's left
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rest — what's left
  24. race — humankind

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