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 120 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: rock · pop · rush · rash · pitcher · cell · charge · staff

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pop — to visit
  3. rock — a stone
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. staff — employees
  7. rush — hurry
  8. charge — in control
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. rock — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pop — music
  14. cell — in biology
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. charge — a price
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. cell — a phone

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