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 · wax · rule · rock · can · straw · content · land

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. can — a tin
  4. content — the amount
  5. wax — to grow
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rule — a law
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rule — government
  13. content — happy
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. land — a country
  16. can — a tin
  17. rock — music
  18. land — ground
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. land — to come down
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. jam — in traffic

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