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: sharp · suit · mug · bear · swing · wax · jam · march

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. swing — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. swing — in golf
  10. mug — a face
  11. suit — to fit
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. mug — to rob
  14. march — the month
  15. swing — to play on
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. sharp — clever
  20. march — music
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. march — the month

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