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: roll · leaves · lie · vault · firm · degree · chest · mate

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. mate — a friend
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. degree — temperature
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. degree — from a university
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chest — of your body
  11. firm — a company
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. firm — steady
  16. vault — a safe
  17. degree — an amount
  18. firm — decided
  19. roll — a list
  20. roll — a cake
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — a box
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lie — to recline

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