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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. snap — to click
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rash — hasty
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. face — to confront
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — electric
  19. rash — a series
  20. current — of water
  21. face — part of the head
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. track — a path
  24. current — happening now

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