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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. last — to go on
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. sharp — clever
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wound — an injury
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rash — a series
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. last — finally

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