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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. fine — all right
  3. ground — crushed
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. content — the amount
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. track — a path
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ground — the earth
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. ground — a position
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. track — a song
  21. saw — the tool
  22. track — to keep track
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. content — happy

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