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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. charge — in control
  3. wax — to grow
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. can — a tin
  13. charge — electricity
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. can — to be able to
  18. charge — a price
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. can — a tin
  24. lie — an untruth

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