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: scale · wave · mouse · wake · current · swing · bulb · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. scale — in music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. scale — size or range
  10. swing — music
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. current — happening now
  13. bulb — for light
  14. current — of water
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. swing — in golf
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. swing — to play on
  20. current — electric
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wake — a trail
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mouse — the animal

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