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: bowl · wake · bulb · jam · spell · stock · stem · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spell — magic
  3. stock — goods
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stock — shares
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. spell — letters
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stem — to come from
  24. jam — in traffic

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