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: bulb · temple · racket · calf · fine · spell · vault · wax

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. spell — letters
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spell — a short time
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. spell — magic
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fine — all right
  17. wax — to grow
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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