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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. kid — child
  7. rash — a series
  8. season — in sport
  9. rash — hasty
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — of the year
  12. net — for catching
  13. rock — music
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wake — a trail
  17. net — in sport
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. net — after costs
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. kid — to tease
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rock — to move gently

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