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 looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cue — a signal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. spell — letters
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. suit — to fit
  14. spell — magic
  15. suit — clothes
  16. spell — a short time
  17. sharp — clever
  18. firm — decided
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fall — the season
  21. firm — steady
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cue — for pool
  24. firm — a company

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