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: bowl · charge · pop · wound · rock · dip · cabinet · season

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. pop — to visit
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. charge — a price
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. rock — music
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pop — soda
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. season — in sport
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pop — music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wound — an injury
  19. season — of the year
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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