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

Word bank: spell · toast · vault · bulb · hand · perch · track · calf

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. toast — bread
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. track — to keep track
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bulb — for light
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. spell — a short time
  18. perch — the fish
  19. track — a song
  20. track — a path
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. vault — a safe
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bulb — for light

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