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: charge · face · tube · deal · leaves · wake · perch · net

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. charge — a price
  3. deal — to handle
  4. net — after costs
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. net — in sport
  12. perch — the fish
  13. tube — a container
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. face — part of the head
  16. charge — electricity
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. tube — the underground
  20. net — for catching
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. charge — in control

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