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 · tear · court · pitch · current · temple · leaves · rest

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rest — what's left
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rest — a break
  7. current — electric
  8. rest — what's left
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. court — of a king
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. court — of law
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. court — for sport
  20. pitch — completely
  21. current — happening now
  22. tear — to rip
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. tear — from crying

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