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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. present — a gift
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. vault — a safe
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. scale — in music
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wound — an injury
  24. present — the time now

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