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

Word bank: safe · roll · degree · pitcher · wake · rash · temple · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. roll — a list
  4. wake — a trail
  5. fine — all right
  6. degree — temperature
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rash — a series
  15. degree — from a university
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. roll — a cake
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rash — hasty
  24. temple — a place of worship

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