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 · spell · rule · hand · degree · mine · leaves · tube

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. degree — an amount
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mine — for digging
  7. spell — a short time
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. degree — from a university
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. spell — letters
  14. tube — a container
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. degree — temperature
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rule — a law
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. rule — government
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spell — magic
  24. leaves — lets stay

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