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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. wax — to grow
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. season — in sport
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. season — of the year
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. charge — a price
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. nail — on a finger

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