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: bark · toast · cue · pass · row · jam · bore · wax

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bore — to tire
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bore — to drill
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. row — a line
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cue — for pool
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. toast — bread
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — to shout
  24. cue — a signal

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