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: vault · spell · roll · spring · root · pitcher · calf · rush

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. roll — a cake
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spell — magic
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. root — of a word
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. root — the cause
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — a coil
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. spell — letters
  17. roll — a list
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. spring — the season
  23. rush — hurry
  24. vault — a safe

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