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: vault · cell · bear · wave · lie · spell · pound · ground

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. cell — a phone
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. pound — a weight
  9. spell — magic
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cell — in biology
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — a short time
  20. lie — to recline
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ground — a position

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