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

Word bank: last · lash · cue · sharp · court · fork · safe · arm

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. last — to go on
  3. cue — a hint
  4. last — final
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fork — in a road
  8. cue — a signal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. court — for sport
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cue — for pool
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. court — of a king
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. last — finally
  24. fork — a garden tool

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