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 · game · suit · march · lash · fall · cue · jam

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cue — a signal
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. march — music
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. game — wild animals
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a match
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fall — to drop
  16. march — the month
  17. cue — a hint
  18. fall — the season
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. suit — in cards
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. cue — for pool
  24. march — the month

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