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: pass · chair · fall · firm · land · charge · fork · coach

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. firm — a company
  5. land — to come down
  6. fall — the season
  7. land — ground
  8. charge — a price
  9. firm — decided
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. charge — in control
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. firm — steady
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. land — a country
  24. charge — electricity

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