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: jam · wave · safe · ground · pass · land · fine · game

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. land — to come down
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. ground — a position
  11. land — ground
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pass — a permit
  14. land — a country
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — crushed
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. game — a match
  24. game — a kind of play

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