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: wave · nail · season · jam · cap · hand · game · coach

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — in sport
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. cap — of ice
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. hand — help
  13. cap — a lid
  14. game — wild animals
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cap — a hat
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. hand — in cards
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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