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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. kid — to tease
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. last — to go on
  9. rest — what's left
  10. kid — child
  11. last — finally
  12. present — there
  13. rest — what's left
  14. last — final
  15. rest — a break
  16. staff — employees
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. present — a gift
  20. staff — employees
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. present — the time now
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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