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 · vault · plane · foot · spring · pop · lie · degree

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pop — soda
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — an amount
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. spring — the season
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pop — music
  13. degree — from a university
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pop — to visit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. foot — a measure
  23. plane — a tool
  24. calf — of the leg

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