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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. band — a music group
  4. rule — a law
  5. rush — hurry
  6. land — a country
  7. last — final
  8. land — ground
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bulb — for light
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. last — finally
  16. land — to come down
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. last — to go on
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rule — government
  23. bulb — for light
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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