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: mine · foot · calf · dip · bulb · board · vault · last

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. last — finally
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. last — to go on
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mine — for digging
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. board — to get on
  16. dip — to sink
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. last — final
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. board — a committee
  24. bulb — for light

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