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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. rest — a break
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bound — obliged
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rest — what's left
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bound — certain
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. sharp — with an edge

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