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 · tube · wax · board · file · jam · pit · content

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. content — happy
  5. file — a document
  6. board — to get on
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. tube — a container
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. file — a tool
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. file — a line of people
  13. tube — the underground
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. content — the amount
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wax — to grow

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