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: bass · wax · jam · hide · nail · bay · date · spell

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. spell — letters
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bass — low music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. spell — magic
  14. bass — the fish
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. spell — a short time
  24. hide — animal skin

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