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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wake — a trail
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wax — to grow
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rock — a stone
  20. spring — a coil
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. nail — for a hammer

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