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 · cap · wind · mark · ball · rash · kick · stem

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. cap — a lid
  4. rash — hasty
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cap — a hat
  9. kick — in football
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rash — a series
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. mark — a grade
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stem — to come from
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mark — a trace

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