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: stock · bound · firm · charge · rush · fan · drill · fine

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. drill — a practice
  3. charge — a price
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bound — obliged
  7. fine — high quality
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. firm — decided
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. drill — army training
  13. stock — shares
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fine — all right
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. charge — in control
  19. firm — steady
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stock — goods
  22. bound — certain
  23. firm — a company
  24. rush — hurry

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