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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. wind — moving air
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. charge — a price
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. capital — money
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. capital — a city
  18. wax — to grow
  19. board — a committee
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. wind — moving air
  22. charge — in control
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. capital — a big letter

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