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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. squash — to crush
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. hand — in cards
  8. march — the month
  9. land — to come down
  10. march — the month
  11. staff — a stick
  12. march — music
  13. mug — a face
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. hand — help
  19. squash — the sport
  20. sharp — clever
  21. land — a country
  22. land — ground
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — to rob

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