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: race · straw · content · roll · safe · plane · bass · jam

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. race — humankind
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bass — the fish
  8. race — a contest
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. roll — a cake
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. roll — a list
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. race — the arms race
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. bass — low music
  24. plane — a tool

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