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 · temple · wax · pitcher · object · date · sharp · bear

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bear — the animal
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. sharp — clever
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. date — the fruit
  19. wax — to grow
  20. object — an aim
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. sharp — exactly

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