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 116 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: cold · rule · safe · bass · object · squash · mark · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rule — a law
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. bass — the fish
  7. cold — not warm
  8. mark — a grade
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rule — government
  12. object — an aim
  13. mark — a trace
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cold — an illness
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bass — low music
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — the sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rule — to rule out

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