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: arm · bound · trunk · fine · wave · wake · capital · charge

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. capital — money
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. charge — in control
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wake — a trail
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bound — tied together
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bound — certain
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. charge — a price
  19. capital — a city
  20. fine — all right
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wave — with your hand

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