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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. lean — thin
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. tube — a container
  13. toast — bread
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. swing — music
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. swing — to play on
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. swing — in golf
  22. snap — to click
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rock — music

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