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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pop — music
  3. charge — a price
  4. board — a committee
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. charge — in control
  7. wax — to grow
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pop — to visit
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. board — to get on
  13. present — there
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. present — the time now
  17. pop — soda
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rock — music
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. present — a gift
  23. mate — a friend
  24. branch — of a bank

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