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: pop · wax · leaves · ball · march · deal · jam · charge

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. pop — soda
  3. charge — a price
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. deal — to handle
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pop — music
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. march — the month
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pop — to visit
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. wax — to grow
  15. charge — electricity
  16. march — the month
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. ball — a great time
  19. charge — in control
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. march — music

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