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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. spell — magic
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pit — in a race
  5. spell — letters
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. spell — a short time
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. charge — in control
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wax — to grow
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. charge — electricity
  22. tube — a container
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rush — hurry

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