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

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. land — to come down
  3. charge — electricity
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. charge — a price
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. chip — to eat
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bound — obliged
  11. land — a country
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. vault — a safe
  14. charge — in control
  15. land — ground
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. tube — a container
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bound — tied together
  22. tube — the underground
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. wax — to grow

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