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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. current — of water
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. last — to go on
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wake — a trail
  10. craft — a skill
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. last — finally
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. current — happening now
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. rash — a series
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. current — electric

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