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

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. saw — the tool
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. cell — a phone
  5. stem — to come from
  6. current — happening now
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. club — a group
  9. cell — in biology
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. club — for golf
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. rash — a series
  14. tear — to rip
  15. rash — hasty
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. club — for dancing
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. current — of water
  23. current — electric
  24. saw — the tool

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