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: craft · stem · sharp · dip · safe · stick · mug · rash

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. sharp — clever
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mug — a face
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. craft — boats
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mug — a cup
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rash — on the skin

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