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

Word bank: chip · charge · chair · fall · present · wave

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fall — the season
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. present — there
  8. charge — in control
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. charge — electricity
  11. present — the time now
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chip — to eat
  14. charge — a price
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. present — a gift
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. chair — a professorship

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