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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bank — for money
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wake — a trail
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bank — for money
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. degree — temperature
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stem — to come from
  12. degree — an amount
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. degree — from a university
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stem — 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