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 120 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: rest · cell · pitcher · bank · charge · saw · sharp · suit

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — clothes
  4. sharp — clever
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rest — a break
  7. charge — a price
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. suit — in cards
  10. saw — the tool
  11. charge — electricity
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. rest — what's left
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bank — for money
  21. charge — in control
  22. bank — of a river
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bank — for money

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