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: object · game · pop · present · charge · firm · can · wax

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. present — there
  3. charge — a price
  4. present — the time now
  5. can — a tin
  6. pop — music
  7. game — a match
  8. object — to protest
  9. charge — electricity
  10. firm — steady
  11. charge — in control
  12. object — an aim
  13. pop — soda
  14. firm — a company
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. present — a gift
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pop — to visit
  19. game — wild animals
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wax — to grow
  22. firm — decided
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. can — a tin

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