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: fall · rock · bound · vault · lie · pit · lash · rest

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fall — the season
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rest — a break
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rock — music
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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