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

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. vault — a safe
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. current — electric
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. season — of the year
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. season — in sport
  14. cold — not warm
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. prune — to trim

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