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 120 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: fan · branch · pound · mine · bear · object · charge · present

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. present — the time now
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mine — for digging
  12. present — there
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. object — a thing
  20. present — a gift
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. pound — a weight

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