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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. root — of a plant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. suit — to fit
  7. root — the cause
  8. wound — an injury
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wound — an injury
  13. key — the most important part
  14. capital — money
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. root — of a word
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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