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: safe · bound · can · tube · last · fork · rest · cold

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — final
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cold — not warm
  9. bound — tied together
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rest — a break
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rest — what's left
  16. can — a tin
  17. last — finally
  18. tube — a container
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bound — certain
  21. tube — the underground
  22. can — a tin
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fork — in a road

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