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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wind — moving air
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bound — certain
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bound — obliged
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. ground — a position
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bound — tied together
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. prune — the fruit

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