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: branch · object · race · pitch · wax · bulb · vault · stick

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bulb — for light
  3. vault — a safe
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — humankind
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bulb — for light
  9. race — the arms race
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. pitch — completely
  13. object — an aim
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. branch — a division
  16. object — a thing
  17. wax — to grow
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. object — to protest
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. branch — of a tree

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