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 124 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: pitch · vault · pitcher · race · bat · roll

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. roll — a list
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. race — a contest
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a cake
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. race — humankind
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pitch — a sales talk

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