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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. roll — a list
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — to fit
  17. roll — a cake
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mine — for digging
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bound — certain
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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