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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ground — crushed
  4. march — the month
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rule — a law
  9. ground — a position
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. club — a group
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. march — the month
  21. ground — the earth
  22. march — music
  23. mug — a cup
  24. club — for dancing

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