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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. wax — to grow
  3. charge — in control
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. drill — army training
  6. bank — of a river
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. drill — a practice
  10. toast — bread
  11. charge — a price
  12. bank — for money
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. can — to be able to
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bank — for money
  19. can — a tin
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. can — a tin
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. prune — to trim

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