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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bank — for money
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. swing — music
  8. cold — an illness
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — in golf
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. cold — not warm
  19. swing — to play on
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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