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: calf · spell · roll · track · straw · game · dip · vault

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. vault — a safe
  7. roll — a cake
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. track — a path
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. game — a match
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. track — a song
  19. roll — a list
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. track — to keep track
  23. game — wild animals
  24. dip — to sink

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