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: bat · spell · pitch · last · pound · ruler · present · vault

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. last — to go on
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. last — final
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. last — finally
  13. bat — the animal
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. spell — letters
  18. present — a gift
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pitch — completely
  22. present — there
  23. present — the time now
  24. spell — magic

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