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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. swing — in golf
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wound — an injury
  8. swing — music
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. swing — to play on
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stem — to come from
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mark — a grade
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mark — a trace
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. ruler — for measuring

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