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: cap · sharp · rest · club · fall · bowl · scale · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fall — the season
  3. club — for golf
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rest — what's left
  7. club — for dancing
  8. scale — in music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fall — to drop
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cap — of ice
  13. club — a group
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. rest — a break
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. cap — a hat
  20. scale — size or range
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bowl — a dish

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