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: spell · wax · rush · ball · vault · perch · jam · tube

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. perch — the fish
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. spell — letters
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wax — to grow
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. spell — magic
  19. tube — the underground
  20. ball — a dance
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. vault — a safe
  24. ball — a great time

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