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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. board — a committee
  6. saw — the tool
  7. clip — to cut
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. sharp — clever
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pop — music
  13. root — of a plant
  14. present — a gift
  15. root — of a word
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. present — there
  20. board — to get on
  21. clip — a video
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. clip — for paper
  24. root — the cause

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