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 120 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: bowl · bark · ruler · chair · suit · safe · mine · mark

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chair — a leader
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. suit — clothes
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bark — to shout
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mine — an explosive

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