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: bat · squash · staff · saw · snap · pitch · vault · lean

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. vault — a safe
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pitch — completely
  7. saw — the tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. bat — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. staff — a stick
  14. snap — to click
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lean — to bend
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. lean — thin
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitch — a sports field

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