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: mine · pitch · tube · chair · spell · jam · safe · fall

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — for digging
  8. spell — a short time
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. fall — to drop
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. chair — a leader
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — to drop
  17. spell — magic
  18. fall — the season
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pitch — completely
  23. spell — letters
  24. chair — to sit on

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