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: stick · mark · vault · bound · swing · wound · firm · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bound — obliged
  9. firm — a company
  10. swing — music
  11. wound — an injury
  12. swing — to play on
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bound — certain
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bound — tied together
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — a grade
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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