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: club · suit · wake · rock · last · season · present · nail

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. last — finally
  4. present — the time now
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. last — to go on
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — in sport
  12. club — a group
  13. rock — music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rock — a stone
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. club — for dancing
  19. suit — to fit
  20. club — for golf
  21. last — final
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wake — before a funeral

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