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: wave · charge · saw · fork · safe · chip · fan · bulb

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. charge — electricity
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fork — in a road

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