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: branch · band · wave · safe · pop · jam · bear · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — music
  8. branch — a division
  9. race — humankind
  10. pop — to visit
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bear — the animal
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. band — a ring
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bear — the animal
  23. band — a music group
  24. branch — of a bank

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