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: toast · mark · bank · vault · land · pitch · game · rush

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rush — hurry
  3. toast — bread
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. land — to come down
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. vault — a safe
  10. land — ground
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. game — a match
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. land — a country
  15. bank — for money
  16. game — wild animals
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mark — a trace
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bank — for money

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