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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ground — crushed
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rest — a break
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. board — a committee
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. fork — in a road
  13. face — to point toward
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. face — part of the head
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ground — a position
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. board — to get on
  23. face — to confront
  24. ground — the earth

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