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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — in control
  4. pitch — completely
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. plane — a tool
  8. race — the arms race
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. charge — a price
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. squash — the sport
  16. race — a contest
  17. squash — to crush
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. field — a subject
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. race — humankind
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. charge — electricity
  24. plane — in geometry

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