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: bass · last · rest · saw · can · court · nail · mate

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. last — to go on
  4. rest — what's left
  5. can — a tin
  6. court — for sport
  7. mate — a friend
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. mate — to breed
  10. court — of a king
  11. saw — the tool
  12. court — of law
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bass — low music
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. last — finally
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bass — the fish
  21. can — a tin
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rest — what's left
  24. last — final

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