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: saw · fine · spell · wake · charge · pop · content · calf

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. charge — a price
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spell — a short time
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pop — to visit
  13. content — the amount
  14. fine — all right
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wake — a trail
  17. charge — in control
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. spell — magic
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. spell — letters
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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