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: pitch · stick · charge · bark · nail · cabinet · cue · game

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. game — a match
  3. bark — to shout
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pitch — completely
  9. charge — a price
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. charge — electricity
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. charge — in control
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. game — wild animals

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