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: vault · dip · bat · bay · leaves · mate · bark · patient

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bark — to shout
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mate — to breed
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bat — the animal
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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