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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. squash — the sport
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. race — a contest
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kick — in football
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bore — to tire
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. race — humankind
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. race — the arms race

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