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: safe · bulb · cue · nail · rule · land · kid · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. land — ground
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. cue — a signal
  8. kid — to tease
  9. rule — a law
  10. rest — a break
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cue — a hint
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. land — to come down
  15. bulb — for light
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rule — government
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. land — a country
  21. kid — child
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cue — for pool

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