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 · cue · coach · pop · charge · field · game · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pop — soda
  5. game — wild animals
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pop — music
  8. field — farmland
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. charge — in control
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. field — a subject
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. field — for sport
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. game — a match
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. pop — to visit

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