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: face · safe · cabinet · bark · mate · pass · degree · scale

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. face — to confront
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. mate — to breed
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bark — to shout
  9. face — to point toward
  10. degree — temperature
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mate — a friend
  13. degree — an amount
  14. scale — in music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. scale — size or range

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