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: shower · sharp · board · coach · calf · vault · bound · deal

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. shower — to wash
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bound — certain
  11. vault — a safe
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bound — tied together
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — a committee
  18. shower — rain
  19. sharp — clever
  20. board — to get on
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. deal — a big deal

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