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 · suit · court · stem · temple · fine · fork · degree

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. stem — to come from
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. court — for sport
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — an amount
  9. fork — in a road
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. suit — to fit
  16. court — of a king
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. suit — in cards
  20. degree — from a university
  21. fine — all right
  22. court — of law
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. safe — out of danger

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