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: plane · jam · safe · hand · season · cell · chest · tube

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. season — in sport
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cell — a phone
  8. tube — the underground
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. chest — a box
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. plane — a tool
  16. tube — a container
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. season — of the year
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. cell — in biology
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. hand — help
  24. safe — out of danger

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