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: charge · cap · spell · spring · date · board · wave · pop

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. spring — a coil
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. spring — of water
  6. charge — electricity
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. charge — in control
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. spring — the season
  14. cap — a lid
  15. date — the fruit
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cap — a hat
  20. charge — a price
  21. pop — to visit
  22. spell — letters
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. date — on the calendar

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