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 124 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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. charge — electricity
  4. shower — rain
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. fine — high quality
  7. wax — to grow
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. suit — to fit
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. charge — a price
  15. bulb — for light
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. charge — in control
  20. suit — clothes
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. suit — in cards

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