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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. club — for golf
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rule — a law
  5. dip — to sink
  6. charge — in control
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rule — government
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. tube — a container
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. chip — for betting
  17. tube — the underground
  18. field — a subject
  19. chip — to eat
  20. field — for sport
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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