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: mine · jam · bank · pitch · vault · mark · pound · drill

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bank — of a river
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bank — for money
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mark — a grade
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bank — for money
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. mine — for digging
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. drill — army training
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. pitch — completely

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