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 · calf · stem · clip · pitch · jam · rest · race

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. race — the arms race
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. race — a contest
  7. stem — to come from
  8. race — humankind
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. clip — a video
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rest — a break
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. clip — for paper
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rest — what's left
  22. clip — to cut
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pitch — completely

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