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: swing · pitch · perch · hide · vault · file · sharp · ball

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. swing — music
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. swing — to play on
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. file — a document
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. file — a line of people
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. ball — a dance
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pitch — completely
  20. vault — a safe
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. file — a tool
  23. perch — the fish
  24. swing — in golf

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