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: lie · can · bowl · vault · snap · march · saw · pitch

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. march — the month
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. can — to be able to
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. can — a tin
  13. snap — to click
  14. can — a tin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitch — completely
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. vault — a safe
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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