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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · leaves · rash · hand · lie · nail

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rash — a series
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. last — to go on
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. last — final
  9. lie — to recline
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. hand — help
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rash — hasty
  16. hand — in cards
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. 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