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: deal · calf · date · wax · file · wound · charge · fork

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. charge — in control
  3. wound — an injury
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. file — a tool
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. file — a document
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fork — in a road
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. date — the fruit

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