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: mine · bulb · can · cold · safe · key · ruler · hand

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — a tin
  8. hand — help
  9. cold — an illness
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cold — not warm
  16. key — the most important part
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — a tin
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bulb — of a plant

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