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 120 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: chip · firm · lean · pound · march · ball · vault · pitcher

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. lean — to bend
  3. chip — for betting
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pound — a weight
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lean — thin
  9. march — music
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. march — the month
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. chip — to eat
  18. firm — decided
  19. march — the month
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pound — for dogs

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