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: spring · content · charge · wax · bowl · cap · shower · stick

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. cap — of ice
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cap — a hat
  6. charge — in control
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. spring — the season
  11. charge — a price
  12. content — the amount
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. shower — to wash
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cap — a lid
  20. content — happy
  21. shower — rain
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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