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 120 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: charge · bass · pitch · spring · staff · wax · foot · drill

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. spring — a coil
  3. staff — a stick
  4. charge — electricity
  5. spring — of water
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bass — the fish
  8. charge — a price
  9. drill — the tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. spring — the season
  12. pitch — completely
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bass — low music
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. drill — army training
  17. staff — employees
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. charge — in control
  20. drill — a practice
  21. wax — to grow
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bass — the instrument

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