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: wave · safe · rush · jam · land · shower · pop · stock

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pop — music
  6. shower — to wash
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stock — goods
  10. land — a country
  11. stock — shares
  12. shower — rain
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. land — ground
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pop — soda
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pop — to visit

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