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: patient · mouse · ground · cap · scale · vault · fork · lie

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ground — the earth
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. scale — size or range
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ground — a position
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cap — a lid
  13. scale — in music
  14. cap — of ice
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. cap — a hat
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. ground — crushed
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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