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: charge · bass · firm · cue · pitcher · rash · stand · lean

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rash — hasty
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cue — a signal
  8. firm — decided
  9. bass — the fish
  10. charge — a price
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rash — a series
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. lean — to bend
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bass — low music
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cue — a hint
  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