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: rush · last · season · lean · swing · calf · charge · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. swing — to play on
  3. last — finally
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. last — final
  6. charge — electricity
  7. last — to go on
  8. season — of the year
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. charge — in control
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. lean — thin
  15. charge — a price
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rest — a break
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. season — in sport
  21. rest — what's left
  22. swing — music
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. swing — in golf

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