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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. court — for sport
  3. court — of a king
  4. kick — in football
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stem — to come from
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. firm — decided
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. band — a music group
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. court — of law
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. band — a ring
  24. stem — a stem cell

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