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 116 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: cap · coach · pitcher · ruler · fan · charge · swing · leaves

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. swing — in golf
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cap — a hat
  7. charge — electricity
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. swing — to play on
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. charge — in control
  12. cap — a lid
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. cap — of ice
  15. charge — a price
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. swing — music
  24. fan — a supporter

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