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: face · coach · current · pitcher · charge · degree · fan · row

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. face — part of the head
  3. charge — in control
  4. degree — from a university
  5. current — happening now
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. row — to paddle
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. face — to point toward
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. degree — temperature
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. charge — a price
  20. row — a line
  21. face — to confront
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. degree — an amount

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