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: mate · band · mug · lean · dip · drill · saw · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mug — a face
  3. band — a music group
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mug — to rob
  6. dip — to sink
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. saw — the tool
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mate — a friend
  13. lean — thin
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. drill — a practice
  23. band — a ring
  24. mug — a cup

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