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: mouse · foot · nail · clip · cabinet · wave · mark · last

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mark — a trace
  3. last — finally
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. last — to go on
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. clip — for paper
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mark — a grade
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. clip — to cut
  22. last — final
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. clip — a video

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