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: wound · cue · can · land · bound · saw · mark · safe

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. cue — for pool
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. can — a tin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cue — a hint
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. land — ground
  13. cue — a signal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mark — a trace
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. saw — the tool
  23. land — a country
  24. bound — tied together

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