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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. charge — in control
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rush — hurry
  15. content — happy
  16. bulb — for light
  17. content — the amount
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. wax — to grow
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. pound — a weight
  22. chair — a leader
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. dip — a sauce

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