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 120 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 · bowl · key · vault · race · prune · bulb · coach

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. lie — to recline
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. race — the arms race
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. prune — to trim
  21. race — a contest
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. key — in music
  24. lie — an untruth

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