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: pitcher · lie · last · suit · rush · calf · wax · staff

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. staff — employees
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. last — to go on
  11. staff — employees
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wax — to grow
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. last — final
  21. staff — a stick
  22. rush — hurry
  23. last — finally
  24. calf — a young animal

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