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: bulb · rock · stand · pitcher · game · coach · charge · stem

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rock — music
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rock — a stone
  6. game — a match
  7. charge — in control
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. charge — electricity
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stem — to come from
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. game — wild animals
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — a price
  24. coach — a trainer

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