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: present · last · bulb · object · wake · stick · foot · ball

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. object — an aim
  3. last — final
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. present — a gift
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ball — a dance
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. object — a thing
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. present — there
  14. object — to protest
  15. last — finally
  16. last — to go on
  17. present — the time now
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wake — a trail
  24. foot — a measure

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