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: mate · charge · cabinet · wave · mouse · ball · lean · game

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. game — a match
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. game — wild animals
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mate — a friend
  9. charge — in control
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lean — thin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. game — a kind of play

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