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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. key — for a lock
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. key — in music
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. club — for dancing
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ball — a dance
  16. club — for golf
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pitch — completely
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. key — the most important part
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. club — a group

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