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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. object — an aim
  3. tear — from crying
  4. cell — in biology
  5. chip — to eat
  6. object — to protest
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. tear — from crying
  10. sharp — clever
  11. tear — to rip
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. chip — for betting
  16. cell — a phone
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. object — a thing
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. firm — steady
  24. calf — a young animal

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