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: board · charge · fan · toast · pitch · fall · march · object

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. charge — in control
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. object — a thing
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. charge — electricity
  10. object — to protest
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. charge — a price
  13. board — a committee
  14. object — an aim
  15. fall — to drop
  16. march — the month
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. march — the month
  19. fall — the season
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. march — music
  24. board — to get on

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