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 · staff · game · prune · pit · bound · stock · fine

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stock — goods
  3. game — wild animals
  4. fine — all right
  5. bound — tied together
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bound — certain
  8. charge — a price
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. charge — in control
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bound — obliged
  15. prune — to trim
  16. game — a match
  17. staff — employees
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fine — high quality
  21. staff — employees
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pit — a hole
  24. prune — 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