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: stem · shower · safe · bear · bowl · rash · kid · bulb

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rash — hasty
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — the animal
  12. kid — to tease
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. kid — child
  16. shower — rain
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. shower — to wash
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bowl — a dish

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