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: kid · cabinet · wake · pound · safe · bay · tube · bear

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. kid — child
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — a container

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