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: pass · mouse · jam · scale · stem · cell · coach · wax

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. scale — in music
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in biology
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. scale — size or range
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pass — a permit

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