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: wax · jam · wind · swing · stand · present · court · fork

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. court — of law
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. present — the time now
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. present — a gift
  16. swing — to play on
  17. stand — to bear
  18. present — there
  19. swing — in golf
  20. court — for sport
  21. wax — to grow
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. swing — music
  24. court — of a king

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