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: bound · spring · mine · vault · lie · dip · can · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. lie — to recline
  3. spring — the season
  4. can — a tin
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. can — a tin
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. spring — a coil
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. dip — to sink
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mine — for digging
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bound — obliged
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bound — certain
  20. spring — of water
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. vault — a safe

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