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: pass · jam · cabinet · mine · wind · bulb · content · pitcher

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. mine — for digging
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bulb — for light
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wind — moving air
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pass — a permit
  23. content — happy
  24. bulb — of a plant

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