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 · lie · pitch · mine · game · pop · wax · vault

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. vault — a safe
  7. mine — for digging
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pop — music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. game — wild animals
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. lie — to recline
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. wax — to grow
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. game — a match
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pop — soda

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