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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bound — tied together
  4. present — a gift
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bound — certain
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rule — a law
  12. rush — hurry
  13. present — the time now
  14. rule — government
  15. key — for a lock
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. key — in music
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ball — a dance
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bound — obliged
  24. present — there

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