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: hide · last · wave · mug · coach · hand · calf · fall

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. last — final
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mug — a face
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fall — to drop
  9. last — finally
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mug — a cup
  16. hand — in cards
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. last — to go on
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. hand — help

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