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: fine · safe · land · content · kid · rest · can · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. fine — all right
  3. rest — what's left
  4. land — a country
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. land — to come down
  8. can — a tin
  9. content — the amount
  10. land — ground
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. kid — to tease
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pound — a weight
  17. content — happy
  18. can — a tin
  19. rest — what's left
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rest — a break
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. kid — child
  24. safe — out of danger

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