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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. vault — a safe
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tear — to rip
  7. object — a thing
  8. tear — from crying
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. clip — a video
  12. face — to confront
  13. clip — for paper
  14. bulb — for light
  15. object — an aim
  16. face — to point toward
  17. file — a line of people
  18. clip — to cut
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. file — a document
  21. tear — from crying
  22. file — a tool
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. object — to protest

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