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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. present — there
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rest — what's left
  6. squash — to crush
  7. staff — employees
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rest — a break
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. present — a gift
  13. ground — a position
  14. staff — employees
  15. present — the time now
  16. ground — crushed
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — of water
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ground — the earth
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. staff — a stick
  23. squash — the sport
  24. sharp — clever

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