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 · last · rest · stem · object · fork · rash · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. vault — a safe
  4. last — finally
  5. rash — a series
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. last — final
  8. rest — what's left
  9. object — to protest
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rash — hasty
  13. last — to go on
  14. object — a thing
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. object — an aim
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. stem — to come from
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fork — in a road
  24. rest — a break

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