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: leaves · mouse · last · spring · calf · wound · suit · chair

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. spring — a coil
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. suit — in cards
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. last — finally
  10. chair — a leader
  11. spring — of water
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. last — final
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wound — an injury
  19. suit — clothes
  20. last — to go on
  21. spring — the season
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. suit — to fit

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