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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mug — a cup
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. scale — in music
  10. charge — electricity
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. tear — to rip
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mug — a face
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. lean — thin
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mug — to rob
  21. tear — from crying
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wave — with your hand

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