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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. face — part of the head
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. last — finally
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. last — to go on
  16. face — to confront
  17. drill — army training
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. leaves — lets stay

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