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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. last — final
  4. wake — a trail
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. scale — in music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. kick — in football
  9. last — finally
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. season — of the year
  14. last — to go on
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. scale — size or range
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. season — in sport
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rush — to hurry

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