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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · kid · wax · hand · suit · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. suit — to fit
  3. game — a match
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. kid — child
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. hand — in cards
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. wax — to grow
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. kid — to tease

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