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: jam · wax · chip · stem · safe · land · kid · stock

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stock — shares
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wax — to grow
  10. kid — child
  11. land — to come down
  12. chip — for betting
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. land — a country
  15. stem — to come from
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stock — goods
  18. land — ground
  19. chip — to eat
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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