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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mate — to breed
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mate — a friend
  7. spell — letters
  8. band — a ring
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. band — a music group
  12. foot — a measure
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mark — a grade
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. march — music
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. spell — magic
  24. foot — the bottom

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