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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. firm — steady
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. sharp — clever
  9. firm — decided
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fork — in a road
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. kid — child
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. kid — to tease
  22. firm — a company
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. fork — a garden tool

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