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: net · season · cell · safe · staff · shower · date · roll

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. staff — employees
  3. date — the fruit
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — in sport
  6. roll — a cake
  7. staff — employees
  8. shower — to wash
  9. cell — in biology
  10. roll — a list
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. shower — rain
  15. season — of the year
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. net — for catching
  19. staff — a stick
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cell — a phone
  22. net — in sport
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. net — after costs

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