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: vault · bass · straw · bulb · mate · mug

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mate — a partner
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mate — a friend
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bass — low music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mug — a face
  18. bass — the fish

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