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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bass — the fish
  7. season — of the year
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. fine — high quality
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bass — low music
  13. season — in sport
  14. scale — size or range
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. wax — to grow
  17. can — to be able to
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. can — a tin
  23. cap — of ice
  24. fine — all right

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