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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. charge — a price
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. ground — a position
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. ground — the earth
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bass — low music
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. jam — in traffic

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