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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. track — a path
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. saw — the tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. track — a song
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bore — to tire
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bore — to drill
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cap — of ice
  21. track — to keep track
  22. vault — a safe
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. saw — the tool

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