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: key · can · wax · charge · last · mine · mark · arm

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wax — to grow
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. last — final
  6. charge — in control
  7. last — to go on
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mine — for digging
  14. key — for a lock
  15. last — finally
  16. key — in music
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — a grade
  20. key — the most important part
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. charge — a price
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. can — a tin

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