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: last · mouse · spell · vault · prune · fine · bass · face

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. face — part of the head
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. last — final
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. last — finally
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — to confront
  16. last — to go on
  17. bass — the fish
  18. spell — a short time
  19. prune — to trim
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bass — low music

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