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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. present — the time now
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. ground — the earth
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. sharp — clever
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. present — there
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. key — the most important part
  15. present — a gift
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. key — in music
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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