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 · face · vault · saw · ruler · cabinet · court · content

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. 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. court — for sport
  2. court — of a king
  3. saw — the tool
  4. face — to point toward
  5. vault — a safe
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. court — of law
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. content — the amount
  12. saw — the tool
  13. content — happy
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. face — part of the head
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. face — to confront
  24. 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