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 120 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: pitcher · rule · cabinet · foot · plane · bulb · charge · current

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. current — of water
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. charge — in control
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — electricity
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rule — government
  22. foot — a measure
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rule — a law

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