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 · bank · mine · vault · racket · temple · kid · spell

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. spell — letters
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. kid — to tease
  6. vault — a safe
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bank — for money
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. spell — magic
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bank — for money
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. spell — a short time
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. kid — child

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