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 116 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rest — a break
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — final
  12. season — of the year
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rock — music
  15. last — finally
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bat — the animal
  24. season — in sport

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