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: prune · cabinet · pass · tube · pitch · vault · wound · charge

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wound — an injury
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitch — completely
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. charge — a price
  11. tube — the underground
  12. vault — a safe
  13. charge — in control
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tube — a container
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pass — a permit

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