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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. charge — in control
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. charge — electricity
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. chip — to eat
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stock — goods
  15. charge — a price
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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