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: net · wave · staff · tube · mouse · mate · jam · prune

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. staff — employees
  4. net — for catching
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. net — after costs
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mate — a friend
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. mate — to breed
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. net — in sport
  22. tube — a container
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mate — a partner

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