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: content · net · calf · cap · vault · wax · mine · lie

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. net — for catching
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. content — happy
  13. net — after costs
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. wax — to grow
  17. content — the amount
  18. mine — for digging
  19. cap — of ice
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. net — in sport
  22. lie — to recline
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. cap — a hat

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