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: calf · rest · saw · rush · club · land · current · present

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. club — a group
  5. current — happening now
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. current — electric
  11. land — ground
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rest — a break
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rest — what's left
  17. club — for golf
  18. land — a country
  19. present — the time now
  20. saw — the tool
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. saw — the tool
  23. current — of water
  24. club — for dancing

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