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 116 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. last — final
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to click
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. drill — army training
  16. last — finally
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. last — to go on
  20. squash — the sport
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wind — moving air
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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