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: dip · fine · bat · wave · craft · stick · charge · object

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bat — the animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. craft — boats
  9. object — to protest
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fine — high quality
  12. charge — in control
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. dip — to sink
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. object — a thing
  22. fine — all right
  23. object — an aim
  24. charge — electricity

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