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: wave · court · jam · trunk · mug · firm · can · mate

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. mate — to breed
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. can — a tin
  8. firm — a company
  9. mug — a face
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — a friend
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mug — a cup
  15. can — to be able to
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — for sport
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. mug — to rob
  22. court — of law
  23. wave — of the sea
  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