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 · row · wax · spell · pitch · cabinet · ball · lie

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. spell — magic
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. ball — a dance
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. row — a line
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. spell — letters
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wax — to grow
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. vault — a safe
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pitch — completely
  23. spell — a short time
  24. lie — to recline

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