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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — electricity
  4. object — a thing
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. game — wild animals
  7. roll — a list
  8. charge — in control
  9. object — to protest
  10. ball — a great time
  11. game — a match
  12. ball — a dance
  13. can — a tin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wax — to grow
  19. can — a tin
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. charge — a price
  23. object — an aim
  24. bear — the animal

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