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 · bark · foot · vault · rule · calf · date · net

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. net — for catching
  3. vault — a safe
  4. foot — a measure
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rule — government
  7. net — in sport
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. spell — a short time
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. spell — magic
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rule — a law
  19. bark — to shout
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spell — letters
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. net — after costs
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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