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: wave · vault · press · bay · drill · fan · lie · court

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. drill — a practice
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. drill — army training
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. court — of law
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. court — of a king
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. press — a publisher
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. court — for sport
  18. press — to push
  19. lie — to recline
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. drill — the tool
  24. press — newspapers

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