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: charge · fine · bulb · wax · lie · press · race · chair

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fine — high quality
  3. charge — a price
  4. chair — a leader
  5. race — a contest
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fine — all right
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lie — to recline
  11. charge — electricity
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. charge — in control
  18. press — to push
  19. race — the arms race
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. race — humankind
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. fine — a penalty

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