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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. object — a thing
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. face — part of the head
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. face — to confront
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. branch — a division
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. face — to point toward
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. sharp — clever

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