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: spring · wax · kid · charge · safe · rush · hand · press

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — in control
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spring — a coil
  6. kid — child
  7. charge — electricity
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. hand — in cards
  13. spring — of water
  14. press — newspapers
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. rush — hurry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kid — to tease
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. hand — help
  22. spring — the season
  23. press — to push
  24. press — a publisher

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