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 116 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: last · tube · rest · bay · chair · bulb · lie · squash

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. last — final
  3. lie — to recline
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. last — finally
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rest — what's left
  10. squash — the sport
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. rest — what's left
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. tube — a container
  16. rest — a break
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bulb — for light
  22. last — to go on
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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