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: bass · charge · face · stem · hand · pop · ball · bank

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. face — to confront
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. pop — music
  7. charge — a price
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. charge — in control
  10. stem — to come from
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bank — for money
  15. ball — a dance
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pop — soda
  23. bass — low music
  24. ball — a great time

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