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: charge · fan · suit · pitcher · fall · stick · pitch · chip

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fall — the season
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. suit — to fit
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitcher — a jug

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