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 120 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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. last — to go on
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. saw — the tool
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. last — finally
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. scale — size or range
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. rule — government
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cell — in biology
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. scale — in music
  21. last — final
  22. cell — a phone
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wake — before a funeral

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