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 got himself in a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. content — the amount
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. content — happy
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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