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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. last — finally
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. tear — to rip
  6. court — of law
  7. staff — employees
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. staff — employees
  10. wind — moving air
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. last — final
  15. court — for sport
  16. last — to go on
  17. bulb — for light
  18. staff — a stick
  19. court — of a king
  20. wind — moving air
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bulb — for light
  24. tear — from crying

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