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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ground — the earth
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. key — the most important part
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. march — the month
  14. wound — an injury
  15. lean — to bend
  16. key — in music
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wound — an injury
  19. game — wild animals
  20. ground — crushed
  21. game — a match
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. sharp — clever
  24. ground — a position

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