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: season · bear · jam · land · bore · mouse · wave · firm

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. firm — decided
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. land — a country
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bore — to tire
  13. land — to come down
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. firm — steady
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bear — the animal
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — in sport
  21. firm — a company
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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