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: snap · craft · bear · vault · pitch · racket · row · rest

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — a safe
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. rest — a break
  8. pitch — completely
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — boats
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bear — the animal
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rest — what's left
  24. craft — a skill

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