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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. club — for dancing
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pit — a hole
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bank — of a river
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bear — the animal
  15. club — a group
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. march — music
  18. game — a match
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. kick — in football
  21. club — for golf
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. game — a kind of play

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