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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. hand — in cards
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. branch — a division
  11. hand — help
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. pass — a permit
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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