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: last · calf · bay · lash · pitcher · rush · current · dip

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. last — final
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. current — of water
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. current — electric
  15. last — to go on
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. current — happening now
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. last — finally
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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