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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rest — a break
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fork — in a road
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. club — a group
  9. cue — for pool
  10. kick — in football
  11. can — a tin
  12. sharp — clever
  13. band — a ring
  14. rest — what's left
  15. club — for golf
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. band — a music group
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. can — to be able to
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fork — to eat with

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