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: drill · lie · charge · spell · bay · vault · hand · last

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lie — to recline
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. last — final
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. charge — a price
  11. vault — a safe
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. charge — electricity
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. hand — in cards
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. last — to go on
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. last — finally
  23. charge — in control
  24. hand — help

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