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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. vault — a safe
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mark — a grade
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fork — in a road
  12. land — a country
  13. mark — a trace
  14. march — the month
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. land — to come down
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. march — the month
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. march — music
  24. land — ground

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