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: pitch · rush · coach · lash · fall · chair · clip · charge

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. charge — a price
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. clip — for paper
  10. fall — the season
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chair — a leader
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rush — hurry
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. clip — a video
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. clip — to cut
  21. charge — in control
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fall — to drop
  24. chair — a professorship

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