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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · pop · rush · lean · wax · bay

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pop — to visit
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pop — music
  9. charge — a price
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pop — soda
  12. wax — to grow
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. lean — thin

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