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: lean · dip · bank · charge · wake · wound · spell · mine

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lean — thin
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bank — of a river
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bank — for money
  11. spell — letters
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — for digging
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lean — to bend
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bank — for money
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wake — a trail
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wound — an injury

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