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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. hand — in cards
  6. wound — an injury
  7. suit — to fit
  8. key — the most important part
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wound — an injury
  11. key — in music
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — a series
  14. key — for a lock
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hand — help
  20. suit — clothes
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. suit — in cards
  24. sharp — with an edge

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