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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. object — an aim
  3. present — a gift
  4. object — to protest
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. object — a thing
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. last — to go on
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cap — a lid
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. ball — a dance
  16. present — the time now
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. present — there
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. last — finally
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rush — hurry

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