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: mate · saw · last · straw · vault · rash · lie · mug

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mate — a partner
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. last — finally
  16. mate — a friend
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. mate — to breed
  20. last — final
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. last — to go on
  23. mug — a cup
  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