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: saw · stem · court · temple · vault · safe · rush · pass

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rush — hurry
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stem — to come from
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. court — of law
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. court — of a king
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. court — for sport
  24. vault — a safe

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