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 116 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: bound · pitcher · charge · press · wave · bass · wake · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bound — certain
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. charge — electricity
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bass — low music
  12. press — to push
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bass — the fish

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