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 · pitch · coach · board · prune · vault · tube · rest

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. vault — a safe
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. board — to get on
  7. tube — a container
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rest — what's left
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. board — a committee
  14. rest — a break
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. rest — what's left
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sports field

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