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 116 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 · pound · craft · tear · ball · pitch · nail · bowl

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. ball — a dance
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. craft — boats
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. tear — to rip
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pitch — completely
  24. nail — for a hammer

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