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: charge · vault · trunk · pitch · ground · bank · rash · wake

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bank — for money
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bank — for money
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. charge — in control
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rash — a series
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. ground — a position
  20. charge — a price
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. ground — the earth
  24. charge — electricity

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