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: bore · spell · swing · vault · toast · clip · calf · bulb

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. clip — to cut
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. spell — magic
  6. swing — to play on
  7. spell — a short time
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. spell — letters
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. toast — bread
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. swing — music
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bulb — for light
  23. clip — a video
  24. toast — the most admired

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