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: bark · last · staff · lash · rock · calf · drill · scale

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. drill — army training
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. last — final
  5. staff — a stick
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. drill — the tool
  11. rock — music
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. staff — employees
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. last — finally
  16. drill — a practice
  17. staff — employees
  18. scale — size or range
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. last — to go on
  21. scale — in music
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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