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: track · jam · racket · wake · wax · kid · mug · bay

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. track — a path
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mug — to rob
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. track — a song
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. kid — child
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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