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: lie · bowl · wax · bore · ground · rest · vault · stem

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. vault — a safe
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rest — what's left
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rest — a break
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ground — the earth
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ground — a position

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