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 · coach · stem · fork · lie · row · press · sharp

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fork — in a road
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. press — to push
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. row — to paddle
  13. sharp — clever
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stem — to come from
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. press — newspapers
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. press — a publisher
  24. row — a line

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