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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. ball — a great time
  8. season — of the year
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. suit — clothes
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. suit — in cards
  14. row — a line
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. season — in sport
  17. deal — to handle
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. sharp — clever
  22. row — to paddle
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ball — a round shape

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