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: vault · straw · pitch · saw · race · chip · lie · wax

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. race — the arms race
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pitch — completely
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. lie — to recline
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. wax — to grow
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. chip — to eat
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. vault — a safe

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