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 · mate · vault · plane · charge · capital · sharp · net

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. vault — a safe
  5. net — in sport
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. capital — a city
  9. charge — a price
  10. mate — to breed
  11. plane — a tool
  12. capital — money
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. net — after costs
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mate — a friend
  18. sharp — clever
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. net — for catching
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. pitch — completely

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