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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. club — for dancing
  4. rest — what's left
  5. sharp — clever
  6. face — to point toward
  7. present — the time now
  8. lean — to bend
  9. current — of water
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. present — there
  13. rest — what's left
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. club — a group
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. club — for golf
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rest — a break
  22. lean — thin
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. face — to confront

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