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: rock · chip · vault · bear · prune · season · pitch · tear

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. tear — to rip
  7. chip — to eat
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rock — a stone
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bear — the animal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. prune — to trim
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bear — the animal

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