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: clip · object · bear · suit · face · bark · safe · cabinet

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — for paper
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. face — to confront
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bear — the animal
  15. object — to protest
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. clip — to cut
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. face — part of the head

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