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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. swing — music
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. swing — to play on
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. court — of a king
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. craft — a skill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. sharp — clever
  16. court — for sport
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. craft — boats
  19. swing — in golf
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bore — to tire
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. court — of law
  24. bore — to drill

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