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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pound — a weight
  4. club — for golf
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. club — a group
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. rule — a law
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. club — for dancing
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. content — happy
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. sharp — clever

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