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: content · jam · tear · straw · pass · charge · pit · wax

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. tear — from crying
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. charge — a price
  12. tear — to rip
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. content — happy
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. charge — electricity
  22. content — the amount
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pit — in a race

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