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: scale · field · cell · stick · pitcher · fine · charge · cue

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. field — for sport
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. scale — size or range
  7. cell — in biology
  8. field — a subject
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. charge — in control
  13. field — farmland
  14. charge — electricity
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fine — high quality
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. charge — a price
  24. fine — all right

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