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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. chair — a leader
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. toast — bread
  7. bulb — for light
  8. sharp — clever
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. chip — to eat
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bulb — for light
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. ball — a great time
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chip — for betting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. ball — a dance
  24. toast — the most admired

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