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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. key — in music
  4. squash — the sport
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. capital — a city
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. squash — to crush
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. chair — a leader
  14. key — the most important part
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. stock — shares
  17. capital — money
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stock — goods
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. stand — for spectators

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