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

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. object — an aim
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. rash — hasty
  5. hand — help
  6. sharp — clever
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. object — a thing
  11. rash — a series
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. object — to protest
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. wound — an injury
  19. staff — employees
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. press — to push
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wound — an injury
  24. hand — in cards

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