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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wax — to grow
  3. charge — in control
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. file — a tool
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chip — for betting
  8. charge — a price
  9. pop — soda
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. squash — the sport
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. file — a document
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pop — music
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pop — to visit
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. squash — to crush

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