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: squash · shower · march · pit · scale · wax · jam · vault

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. shower — rain
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wax — to grow
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pit — in a race
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. shower — to wash
  22. march — the month
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. vault — a safe

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