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: can · rule · land · bound · bulb · rest · season · shower

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bound — certain
  3. rest — a break
  4. can — a tin
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rest — what's left
  7. shower — rain
  8. bulb — for light
  9. season — of the year
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rule — government
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. land — to come down
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rule — a law
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. can — a tin
  19. land — ground
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bound — tied together
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. bulb — for light

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