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: charge · wave · racket · snap · branch · pop · stand · mouse

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. charge — in control
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to click
  11. stand — to bear
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. charge — a price
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. racket — a loud noise

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