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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. cue — a signal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. content — the amount
  11. cue — for pool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. sharp — clever
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cue — a hint
  24. kick — in football

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