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: stick · bat · pitch · bore · present · object · vault · chair

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. object — an aim
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. object — a thing
  9. vault — a safe
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. present — the time now
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. present — a gift
  16. bat — the animal
  17. present — there
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. object — to protest

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