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: pitcher · spring · cabinet · file · pound · safe · wax · charge

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. file — a document
  4. charge — a price
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. spring — a coil
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. file — a line of people
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. spring — of water
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wax — to grow
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. charge — electricity
  21. spring — the season
  22. charge — in control
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — for dogs

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