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 · wave · wake · cap · game · land · rock · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. game — wild animals
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. game — a match
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. land — to come down
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cap — a lid
  18. land — ground
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. land — a country

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