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: prune · ruler · lie · mug · straw · ball · vault · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. vault — a safe
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. mug — to rob
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mug — a face
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mug — a cup
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. ball — a dance
  24. straw — a straw man

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