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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. row — a line
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fine — all right
  12. can — a tin
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. can — a tin
  15. ball — a great time
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. rule — a law
  20. can — to be able to
  21. ball — a dance
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. row — to paddle
  24. fine — a penalty

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