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: deal · bark · wind · key · safe · rule · suit · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mug — a face
  4. key — in music
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wind — moving air
  11. key — the most important part
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mug — a cup
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. rule — a law
  19. key — for a lock
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rule — government
  24. deal — to handle

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