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 · foot · bass · tear · kick · pit · can · jam

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. can — a tin
  5. kick — in football
  6. pit — a hole
  7. tear — from crying
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. tear — to rip
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pit — in a race
  17. can — a tin
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. tear — from crying
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bass — the fish
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. wave — with your hand

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