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 120 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: plane · mate · craft · pitch · fall · kick · land · vault

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. fall — to drop
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mate — a partner
  6. plane — a tool
  7. land — to come down
  8. pitch — completely
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fall — to drop
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. land — a country
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fall — the season
  23. craft — boats
  24. land — ground

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