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

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. dip — to sink
  3. vault — a safe
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. kick — in football
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. tube — a container
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. tube — the underground
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wake — a trail
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. sharp — clever

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