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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. staff — employees
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. staff — a stick
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. foot — a measure
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. staff — employees
  15. wake — a trail
  16. vault — a safe
  17. chip — for betting
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. wax — to grow
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wax — for sculpting

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