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 · coach · season · straw · last · vault · mouse · bay

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. vault — a safe
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. last — to go on
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. season — in sport
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. season — of the year
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. last — finally
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. last — final
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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