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 · shower · board · wax · race · content · rule · stand

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. content — happy
  7. board — to get on
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — a contest
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. shower — rain
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. board — a committee
  18. rule — government
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. shower — to wash
  21. content — the amount
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. wax — to grow

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