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

Word bank: coach · fork · mug · drill · track · stem · kid · safe

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. track — to keep track
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. track — a song
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mug — a face
  9. drill — army training
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. stem — to come from
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. kid — child
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. kid — to tease
  23. drill — the tool
  24. track — a path

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