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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — for catching
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fine — high quality
  5. suit — clothes
  6. last — finally
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. fine — all right
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. last — to go on
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. last — final
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. net — 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