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: pitcher · stick · rest · board · tube · racket · pass · vault

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. tube — the underground
  5. board — to get on
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rest — a break
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. board — a committee
  11. rest — what's left
  12. tube — a container
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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