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

Word bank: charge · stick · cell · wax · bulb · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. charge — a price
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. charge — in control
  6. cell — in biology
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wax — to grow
  10. cell — a phone
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. safe — out of danger

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