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: file · rock · mark · last · current · snap · calf · hide

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. file — a tool
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. file — a line of people
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rock — music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. current — of water
  11. file — a document
  12. last — to go on
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mark — a trace
  21. snap — to click
  22. last — finally
  23. mark — a grade
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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