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: calf · chair · fall · bound · pop · wave · leaves · charge

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. charge — electricity
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pop — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bound — obliged
  12. charge — a price
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. charge — in control
  15. bound — certain
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bound — tied together
  18. fall — the season
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. fall — to drop
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. chair — a leader
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pop — soda

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