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: clip · saw · charge · capital · lie · stand · wax · bass

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. charge — in control
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. capital — a city
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. clip — to cut
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. clip — for paper
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. capital — money
  18. bass — the fish
  19. charge — a price
  20. bass — low music
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. clip — a video
  23. saw — the tool
  24. capital — a big letter

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