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 · stick · spring · shower · can · bound · stand · charge

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spring — a coil
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spring — of water
  10. charge — in control
  11. can — a tin
  12. bound — obliged
  13. shower — rain
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. charge — a price
  16. can — to be able to
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — certain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. can — a tin
  24. spring — the season

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