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 120 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: bank · stand · bulb · stick · content · land · dip · charge

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. land — a country
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. content — the amount
  5. bulb — for light
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bank — of a river
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bank — for money
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. charge — a price
  17. land — to come down
  18. content — happy
  19. dip — to sink
  20. charge — in control
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bank — for money

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