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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mark — a grade
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chest — a box
  14. firm — decided
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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