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: chest · stick · stock · pass · rule · can · content · charge

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rule — government
  5. charge — a price
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rule — a law
  10. pass — a permit
  11. can — a tin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. chest — a box
  15. content — happy
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stock — shares
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. chest — of your body
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. content — the amount
  24. charge — in control

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