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 116 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. march — the month
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mark — a trace
  7. charge — in control
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. band — a ring
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. charge — a price
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. march — music
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. deal — to handle
  23. march — the month
  24. mark — a grade

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