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: firm · vault · stand · calf · bowl · jam · squash · mine

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — the sport
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. firm — steady
  12. stand — to bear
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mine — for digging
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. squash — to crush
  18. firm — a company
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. stand — for spectators

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