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 · mate · board · vault · snap · press · game · pitcher

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. game — a match
  3. snap — to click
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mate — a partner
  7. press — newspapers
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. board — a committee
  10. game — wild animals
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mate — to breed
  13. board — to get on
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. press — to push
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mate — a friend
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. press — a publisher

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