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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. ball — a dance
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. charge — in control
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. saw — the tool
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. present — a gift
  10. saw — the tool
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — a price
  13. present — there
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bulb — for light
  22. present — the time now
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. charge — electricity

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