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: rest · snap · board · coach · wake · lie · vault · drill

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. lie — to recline
  3. board — to get on
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rest — a break
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. board — a committee
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. drill — a practice
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. snap — to click
  16. drill — the tool
  17. vault — a safe
  18. drill — army training
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. wake — a trail
  23. rest — what's left
  24. coach — a trainer

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