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: calf · pit · straw · rush · toast · last · bark · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bark — to shout
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. toast — bread
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mug — a cup
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. last — finally
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mug — a face
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. last — final
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. last — to go on
  24. toast — the most admired

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