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: wave · object · pass · last · calf · fall · saw · spell

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. saw — the tool
  3. last — finally
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fall — the season
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fall — to drop
  13. object — a thing
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. object — an aim
  16. saw — the tool
  17. object — to protest
  18. fall — to drop
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. spell — letters
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. spell — magic
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. last — final

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