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 · pass · land · content · track · current · temple · pitcher

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. content — the amount
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. current — electric
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. current — of water
  11. track — to keep track
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — ground
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. content — happy
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. track — a path
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. track — a song
  22. land — a country
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. current — happening now

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