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: can · stick · chip · sharp · rest · charge · mine · wax

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. can — a tin
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mine — for digging
  6. wax — to grow
  7. can — a tin
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rest — what's left
  14. charge — in control
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rest — a break
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. charge — a price
  21. chip — to eat
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rest — what's left
  24. charge — electricity

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