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: temple · rush · cue · calf · lash · firm · last · court

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cue — a signal
  4. court — of a king
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cue — for pool
  7. court — of law
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. last — final
  13. rush — hurry
  14. firm — decided
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. firm — steady
  17. cue — a hint
  18. firm — a company
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. court — for sport
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. last — to go on

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