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: season · trunk · arm · safe · fine · stem · mouse · straw

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fine — all right
  5. stem — to come from
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. season — of the year
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. season — in sport
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. trunk — of a tree

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