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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. pit — a hole
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rest — a break
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. kick — in football
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pit — in a race
  11. ball — a great time
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. last — finally
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mug — a face
  20. last — to go on
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mug — to rob
  23. chair — a leader
  24. kick — a thrill

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