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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rest — what's left
  3. last — final
  4. drill — a practice
  5. capital — money
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. last — finally
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rest — what's left
  13. dip — to sink
  14. capital — a city
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. rest — a break

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