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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. current — happening now
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. toast — bread
  7. spell — a short time
  8. current — electric
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. stock — shares
  22. current — of water
  23. pop — music
  24. stock — goods

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