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: branch · cabinet · wound · fan · bulb · charge · rule · swing

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wound — an injury
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. swing — music
  9. rule — a law
  10. branch — a division
  11. swing — to play on
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — government
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. charge — in control
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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