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: vault · leaves · stick · pit · game · degree · lash · pitcher

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. degree — an amount
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. game — a match
  16. degree — from a university
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. game — wild animals
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. degree — temperature

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