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: can · nail · pit · deal · sharp · vault · board · pitcher

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. vault — a safe
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. sharp — clever
  6. pit — a hole
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. board — to get on
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pit — in a race
  13. can — a tin
  14. board — a committee
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. deal — to handle
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. nail — for a hammer

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