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 116 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: patient · spring · hand · vault · calf · pass · wave · spell

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. hand — in cards
  10. spell — letters
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. spell — a short time
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hand — help
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spell — magic
  20. spring — the season
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. spring — of water
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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