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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bank — for money
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mate — a partner
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. charge — a price
  13. saw — the tool
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. charge — in control
  20. snap — to click
  21. bank — of a river
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bank — for money
  24. saw — the tool

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