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 · mark · pass · nail · pop · content · date · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pop — to visit
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pop — soda
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mark — a trace
  10. date — the fruit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pass — a permit
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pop — music
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pass — to spend time

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