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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. ball — a great time
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. saw — the tool
  10. present — a gift
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ball — a dance
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rest — a break
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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