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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · capital · chip · fall · fine · charge · board · pitch

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. fall — to drop
  6. charge — a price
  7. pitch — completely
  8. fine — high quality
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. fall — the season
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. capital — a city
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. charge — in control
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. vault — a safe
  20. capital — money
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fall — to drop
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. chip — for betting

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