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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. rash — a series
  3. court — for sport
  4. bass — the fish
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rash — hasty
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. court — of a king
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lean — thin
  15. court — of law
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. craft — boats
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bass — low music
  24. craft — a skill

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