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: stick · fine · bowl · rule · pitcher · drill · charge · rest

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. fine — all right
  4. charge — a price
  5. drill — a practice
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rest — what's left
  8. charge — in control
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. drill — army training
  12. rule — government
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rule — a law
  15. rest — a break
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. charge — electricity

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