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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — soda
  3. cue — for pool
  4. staff — employees
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. charge — in control
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. staff — employees
  10. charge — electricity
  11. cap — of ice
  12. staff — a stick
  13. cap — a lid
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. cap — a hat
  16. charge — a price
  17. wax — to grow
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pop — music
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. cue — a hint
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. cue — a signal
  24. branch — a division

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