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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. object — an aim
  3. last — final
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. last — to go on
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. object — a thing
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. object — to protest
  13. last — finally
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cue — a hint
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pass — a permit

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