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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. last — to go on
  3. spell — letters
  4. last — finally
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. spell — magic
  7. chip — to eat
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. suit — to fit
  11. current — electric
  12. charge — a price
  13. fine — all right
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spell — a short time
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. last — final
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. current — happening now
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wax — to grow
  22. charge — in control
  23. chip — for betting
  24. current — of water

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