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: rock · saw · last · spring · arm · safe · spell · mark

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. last — to go on
  4. spring — the season
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rock — music
  7. last — finally
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. spell — magic
  11. spring — a coil
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. spell — letters
  18. mark — a grade
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mark — a trace
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. spell — a short time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spring — of water

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