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: coach · swing · cue · rock · pitcher · stock · charge · fan

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. cue — a hint
  3. swing — to play on
  4. cue — for pool
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stock — shares
  13. charge — in control
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. swing — in golf
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. charge — a price
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. charge — electricity
  24. swing — music

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