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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — in a race
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. court — of law
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. can — a tin
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cell — a phone
  11. can — to be able to
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. court — of a king
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. cell — in biology
  23. court — for sport
  24. can — a tin

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