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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. last — to go on
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. key — in music
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. last — finally
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bore — to drill
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bore — to tire
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. foot — a measure
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. lash — to lash out

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