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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. board — to get on
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. sharp — clever
  7. object — to protest
  8. march — music
  9. chip — to eat
  10. object — an aim
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. object — a thing
  14. board — a committee
  15. drill — army training
  16. chip — for betting
  17. march — the month
  18. drill — a practice
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. drill — the tool
  22. march — the month
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. board — a flat piece

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