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: spell · wound · racket · lie · charge · game · wax · current

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. spell — magic
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. wound — an injury
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. spell — a short time
  8. charge — a price
  9. current — happening now
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. game — a match
  13. current — electric
  14. wound — an injury
  15. charge — in control
  16. current — of water
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. spell — letters
  20. game — wild animals
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lie — to recline

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