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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mark — a grade
  9. date — the fruit
  10. bore — to tire
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. last — to go on
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bore — to drill
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. last — final
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rash — a series

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