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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. current — happening now
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. club — for dancing
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. club — for golf
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fine — high quality
  18. club — a group

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